Max Verstappen is in line for an eye-watering pay rise after putting pen to paper on a new deal at Red Bull after his impressive performances over recent seasons have seen the team regularly fighting at the top of the Constructors’ Championship.

With four titles back-to-back, Verstappen has cemented himself as one of F1’s greatest ever drivers. After claiming victory in his Red Bull Racing debut at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, it was clear that, given the correct equipment, the Dutchman had everything needed to become a racing legend. But even in his formative days, it would’ve been impossible for anyone to predict just how dominant he would be at such a young age.

But with four titles already to his name, Verstappen has signed a new contract with Red Bull, and the reported salary shows just how important he is to the team.

How Max Verstappen Became F1’s Biggest Star

Verstappen has been breaking records ever since his introduction to F1, becoming the sport’s youngest driver with his debut for Scuderia Toro Rosso at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.

After moving to Red Bull in 2016, the Dutchman progressed rapidly as his experience grew, amassing 10 victories and 42 podiums across his first four seasons. But it would be the 2021 season in which Verstappen would really come into his own, managing 10 race wins and 18 podiums, winning the 2021 Drivers’ Championship in dramatic fashion after a controversial Safety Car decision at the season finale in Abu Dhabi set up a mismatched one-lap shootout against reigning champion Lewis Hamilton.

The Dutchman made sure that he retained the title the following season, after racking up a record-breaking 15 wins on his way to a second successive championship. The following season was even more impressive, as the now-28-year-old broke his own record by winning 19 of the 22 races that season, while also setting a new record of 10 consecutive race wins and boasting the largest single-season points haul with 575.

Verstappen refused to let off, and took home a fourth title in a row with his success in the 2024 season, when a strong start to the season, consisting of seven victories across the opening 10 races, was enough to mitigate against a difficult second-half of the campaign.

The Staggering Figures Behind Verstappen’s Deal

Given the increase in prize winnings and merchandise sales since Verstappen’s rise to the summit of F1, it comes as no surprise that Red Bull were determined to keep a hold of the most prized possession, and they’re not afraid to splash the cash to ensure his services aren’t offered to a rival.

According to F1 finance expert Marc Limacher, Verstappen’s new Red Bull deal will see him become the second-highest-paid sportsperson in the world, not including those who are paid via winnings instead of a salary.

In a post on X, Limacher announced that: “Max Verstappen is set to earn an annual salary of €92 million, starting in 2027, at Red Bull Racing, plus bonuses that will allow him to reach €115m per season.”

With the Dutchman penning a four-year deal, it means that the total contract could be worth up to a staggering €460m if he fulfills all of his bonus requirements. €115 million would see him take home more than football stars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland, while also netting more than anyone else on the F1 grid, including close rival Hamilton.

In fact, the only salaried sportsperson who will earn more than the Red Bull driver will be Cristiano Ronaldo, whose Al-Nassr contract sees him take home £488,000 per day, with the total value of the two-year contract potentially reaching well over half a billion if he manages collect all of his bonuses.

Michael Carrick could look to use Carlos Baleba in a bizarre new role at Man Utd this season, according to The Athletic.

The Red Devils have been looking to rebuild their midfield this summer and have completed deals to bring in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans already, while reports suggest that they are now closing in on a deal for the Cameroon international worth around £70m.

But the club are also still looking to add a striker to the squad, should Joshua Zirkzee leave before the deadline on September 1st, while left-back is also considered to be a priority as Carrick looks for competition and cover for Luke Shaw, who is now in the final year of his contract.

Lewis Hall and Myles Lewis-Skelly are understood to be high up on the club’s shortlist of options at left-back, but deals for the two of them look to be highly unlikely in this window, with both Newcastle and Arsenal not interested in a sale.

A new left-back option could be considered, with young Spaniard Jorge Salinas linked with a move to Old Trafford, but it has now emerged that the signing of Baleba also has the idea of him being used at left-back if necessary as part of the thought process behind it.

Journalist Laurie Whitwell reports that the club have looked closely at players who can play in midfield and central midfield, which saw them look at Lewis-Skelly and Real Madrid star Eduardo Camavinga. But while Baleba has never played at left-back for Brighton in his career, it’s understood that his left-footedness makes him an option in the position.

Man Utd could look to use Baleba in a similar way to how Chelsea have used Moises Caicedo at right-back in the past, inverting into midfield and helping them to overload the centre of the pitch. He is good in possession, has excellent qualities to carry the ball forward, and is one of the best tacklers in the division too.

But making the signing with the idea that he could fill in at left-back, when he has never played that position before, is undoubtedly bizarre, and will leave fans with question marks if it comes to fruition.

Man Utd Must Sign Specialist Left-Back

Shaw was the only player to start every Premier League game for Man Utd last season, but he has struggled to get going in pre-season, despite playing the third most minutes of any player in the squad.

He’s now 31, and with a busier schedule as the club return to the Champions League, Carrick will know that he can’t be relied upon to play in every game. Add to that the fact that the manager clearly views Patrick Dorgu as more of a forward option, the squad is desperate for a left-back addition.

A specialist who can play in a back four would be a huge signing, even if it’s just as cover for Shaw this season until the club go big in future windows for Hall or Lewis-Skelly again. But a signing is needed before the deadline, and it should only be Baleba in the face of a true emergency.

On a week-by-week basis, teams from up and down the English football pyramid, from the Premier League mainstays to those in League Two, are called a number of names – some good, some bad.

But imagine if fans were reduced to using one word from their lexicon? It’s difficult – so let’s rely on AI.

ChatGPT has been asked to describe all 92 teams in the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two using one word – and some of the responses are surprisingly brutal.

League Two

Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Starting off in the fourth division of English football, we’ve got the classic ‘Who?’ for Accrington Stanley, a catchphrase from a milk advert in the 1980s. No, seriously, check it out. It’s had its desired effect, though, as evidenced by AI’s one-worder.

But fear not, Accrington Stanley fans, because some of the other descriptions are far more damning. Crawley Town are called ‘Plastic’, Fleetwood Town are ‘Soulless’, while Gillingham and Rochdale are ‘Miserable’ and ‘Bleak’, respectively.

As for Salford City, who are famous for having Manchester United’s Class of 92 as their owners, they are described by ChatGPT as “Artificial”. Ouch.

League One

Action Images/Andrew Boyers

Leciester City were Premier League champions 10 years ago. They now find themselves in the third tier of English football after being relegated from the Championship last season. AI currently subsequently describes the Foxes as “Embarrassing”.

Continuing the savage theme, Burton Albion are called “Tinpot”, MK Dons are “Soulless”, while Sheffield Wednesday are labelled as “Disaster”.

Bradford are called “Obsessed”, with ChatGPT elaborating: “Their fanbase has spent approximately 97% of its existence talking about how big Bradford City should be.”

Meanwhile, Stevenage are “Horrible”, Reading are “Broke”, and the word “S**thousery” is used to describe Wycombe Wanderers.

Championship

Everyone is aware of Wrexham’s rise – and whether you believe it’s a fairytale story or not, you can’t take anything away their back-to-back-to-back promotions. Funded by co-owners and actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Welsh club has been going from strength to strength. Their one-word description is “Hollywood”, for obvious reasons.

That’s one of the kinder descriptions from ChatGTP, which clearly woke up on the wrong side of bed. Burnley are “Bitter”, Millwall are “Horrible”, Southampton are “Embarrassing” – possibly after the spygate saga – while West Brom are simply “Meh”,

West Ham are “Fallen”, which feels fair following their relegation, while Blackburn Rovers are “Miserable”. ChatGPT explains: “A club with a Premier League title in the cabinet somehow manages to give off the energy of a man who has just discovered his parking ticket is £60.”

On “Triggerhappy” Watford, it adds: “One bad run and somebody’s already checking the managerial candidates.” And on “Boring” Stoke City: “The Championship equivalent of putting on a grey jumper and turning the heating down.”

Premier League

Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season, hence the “Finally” label. Even Chelsea fans wouldn’t argue against the “Chaotic” description.

Manchester United are described as “Confused”, despite securing a third-place finish under Michael Carrick last term. “Not necessarily because of the football,” ChatGPT adds, “more because the club has spent years seemingly unable to decide what it actually wants to be.”

Manchester City are called “Vulnerable” as they begin life without Pep Guardiola. AI says: “This is the interesting one. The Pep era is over, Rodri has gone, Bernardo [Silva] has gone and [Enzo] Maresca has inherited an extraordinary rebuilding job.”

Fulham are “Posh” – “basically the Premier League’s cardigan,” ChatGPT adds – while Tottenham Hotspur are simply labelled “Spursy”.

The likes of Bournemouth, Ipswich Town, and “Massive” Sunderland all get off lightly. But Brentford are “Annoying” because: “They just won’t go away. Every season you think, ‘Surely this is the year…’ and there they are again.”