Man City duo take colossal £17.8million hit on earnings ahead of major summer decision

Two Manchester City players who could be heading for pastures new this summer have both lost a big chunk of their earnings

A Manchester City pair have been listed among the UK's highest taxpayers amid uncertainty over their futures in English football.

Bernardo Silva and Omar Marmoush have contributed a total of £17.8m to the Inland Revenue during the last 12 months. The information comes from the newly published Sunday Times Tax List, which identifies the nation's largest contributors to the public coffers.

The football tax list is led by fellow City player Erling Haaland, who paid nearly £17m, followed by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah on £14.5m. Silva and Marmoush have also surrendered substantial amounts to the taxman during this recorded period

Silva contributed £9m - matching Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes - while Marmoush paid £8.8m. While Haaland's position at City appears stable, the same cannot be said for Silva and Marmoush, who may both depart this summer.

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Silva's City deal runs out in a matter of months and, according to Spanish media reports, the Portuguese midfielder has already decided to leave the Etihad, with Barcelona believed to be his preferred destination.

A return to boyhood club Benfica has been suggested, alongside a potential move to the financially lucrative Saudi Pro League. Regarding Marmoush, who joined from Eintracht Frankfurt just a year ago, speculation emerged in January linking him with Tottenham, Aston Villa and Turkish sides Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.

While Marmoush has found regular minutes hard to come by, given the fierce competition for places in Pep Guardiola's squad, he has made the most of his opportunities, including netting twice in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg victory against Newcastle.

Nevertheless, a summer exit cannot be ruled out if the Egyptian believes he can secure more playing time elsewhere. Once again, Saudi Arabia could show interest, given the clear financial attractions.

Beyond the substantial wages on offer, footballers pay no tax on their earnings in the country. This contrasts sharply with the 45 per cent rate imposed in the UK on annual salaries above £125,000.

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Former City winger Raheem Sterling, who recently ended his Chelsea contract by mutual consent, paid £9.8m in tax, £100,000 more than Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk.

Bookmakers Betfred topped the overall UK tax list, contributing £400m to the public purse. The likes of Harry Styles (£24.7m), Ed Sheeran (£19.9m) and Anthony Joshua (£11m) joined Haaland and Salah in the top 100.