Football's Richlist

Manchester United have come second in the list of the world's richest clubs, while Real Madrid stay top for the fourth year in a row. Deloitte's Football Money League, based on financial information for the 2007/08 season, features seven English clubs in the top 20 positions. The authors said that United would have been top of the Money League if the pound was still at June 2007 levels. Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

"If the exchange rate value of the pound had not depreciated, there would have been nine, rather than seven English clubs in the top 20 and Manchester United would have topped the Money League ahead of Real Madrid," said Dan Jones, partner in the Sports Business Group at Deloitte.

United won the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League in 2008, posting a significant 21% pound-denominated revenue growth. The list had been headed by Manchester United for eight years until Real Madrid deposed them. "Whilst Real Madrid's 4% revenue growth in 2007/08 is more modest than recent years, the club has now doubled its revenues since 2002 and enjoys a lead of 41m euros [£32.5m] over Manchester United," said Mr Jones. "With the club having announced that it is budgeting for revenues of 400m euros in 2008/09, it will be difficult for rivals to replace Real at the top of the Money League next year."

The other English clubs in the top 20 are Tottenham Hotspur (14th), Newcastle United (17th) and Manchester City (20th). All the top 20 clubs represent Europe. Germany and Italy have four clubs each in the top 20, Spain and France have two clubs each.
Fenerbahce became the first Turkish club to enter the top 20 since the creation of the list of the world's richest clubs in 1996/97.

WORLD'S WEALTHIEST CLUBS BY REVENUE:
1) Real Madrid: £289.6m
2) Man Utd: £257.1m
3) Barcelona: £244.4m
4) Bayern Munich: £233.8m
5) Chelsea: £212.9m
6) Arsenal: £209.3m
7) Liverpool: £167m
8) AC Milan: £165.8m
9) AS Roma: £138.9m
10) Inter Milan: £136.9m
Source: Deloitte: 2007/8