Manchester United players listed as the best paid in world soccer. See list of top five

Manchester United players are the best paid in world football but well behind NBA champions the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to a new survey.

According to Sportingintelligence's Global Sports Salaries Survey (GSSS) for 2016, United sit fourth in the list.

The Premier League giants rose from sixth, with their average annual first-team pay now around £5.77m.

That still leaves them behind the Cavs (£6.54m), MLB's New York Yankees (£5.81) and NBA's Los Angeles Clippers (£5.78).

But it marked the first time in the survey's seven-year history that United have topped all other football clubs.

The arrivals of star names Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba have had an impact, but United sit sixth in the Premier League.

LaLiga champions Barcelona (£5.64m) and United's rivals Manchester City (£5.42m) were the only other football outfits in the top 10.

NBA teams make up 14 of the top 20, with the GSSS pointing to the league's new TV deal as well as the effects of Brexit.

Behind the Manchester clubs, the only other Premier League teams in the top 60 are Chelsea (34), Arsenal (47) and Liverpool (60).

TOP FIVE BEST PAID PLAYERS BY CLUB RANKING:

1. Manchester United - £5.77m

2. Barcelona - £5.64m

3. Manchester City - £5.42m

4. Real Madrid

5. Chelsea