United still trail Spanish giants in earnings

Manchester United remain the highest earning Premier League club, but their revenues lag behind Real Madrid and Barcelona.

According to Deloitte’s 2013 Football Money League report, seven of the world’s 12 richest clubs by revenue are based in England as champions Manchester City enter the top 10 for the first time.

United are third on the list despite their revenues declining three per cent to 320.3 million pounds in 2011-12 from 331.4m pounds the previous year, largely down to their early exit in the Champions League and failure to win the league title.

European champions Chelsea stay fifth with 261m pounds in revenues while City move up five places to seventh thanks to a 51 per cent growth in revenues to 231.1m pounds following their title success, participation in the Champions League and a long-term partnership with Etihad Airways.

However, English clubs are still some way behind Spain’s big two in the Money League, the top six of which remained unchanged for the fifth successive year.

Real Madrid top the money list for the eighth consecutive year with a record turnover of 414.7m pounds while Barcelona complete a La Liga one-two with 390.8m pounds.

The Premier League has consolidated their position as the dominant financial force in world, with seven teams in the top 20 and a further four English clubs – Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and Sunderland – just outside the top 20 for revenues in the 2010-11 season.

Arsenal (sixth) keep their place in the Money League, while Liverpool’s commercial power keeps them in the top 10 in ninth place, even though the Anfield club has not participated in the Champions League since the 2009-10 season.

Tottenham drop to 13th in the list after failing to qualify for the Champions League, with revenues decreasing by 12 per cent to 144.2m pounds while Newcastle are the only new entry, replacing Valencia with 93.3m pounds turnover.