MANCHESTER United have jumped from fourth to second in the Deloitte's world football rich list with revenues of £433.2m in 2013/14 - only £26.3m behind the world's current richest club Real Madrid (£459.5m).
"If they can return to the Champions League in 2015-16 there is a strong possibility they could be top in two years’ time."
United flew past Bayern Munich (£407.7m) and Barcelona (£405.2m) as revenues at the club grew a whopping 83% in three years despite finishing seventh in last season's Premier League.
The club's finances have been bolstered by a recent ten-year £750m deal with Adidas, a seven-year £370m shirt sponsorship deal with General Motors and an increase of £34.2m in broadcasting revenue.
Old Trafford
Etihad Campus
Some estimates suggest United could topple Real Madrid as the world's richest club (based on generated revenues - for the world's most valuable clubs see here) if they manage to return to Champions League football in 2015/16.
"Their absence this season from European competition will be felt in next year’s Money League position," said Austin Houlihan, a senior manager at Deloitte's Sports Business Group offices in Manchester's Spinningfields. "But if they can return to the Champions League in 2015-16 there is a strong possibility they could be top in two years’ time.”
Manchester City's revenues grew 28% in the last year alone to £346.5m (the largest percentage increase in the top 10) placing them in sixth, while Chelsea (£324.4m), Arsenal (£300.5m) and Liverpool (£255.8m) placed seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.
The North West continues to be a powerhouse of football http://t.co/9vynZ3WaLh #DFML15 #DeloitteNW pic.twitter.com/i27tbP4biM
— Deloitte UK (@DeloitteUK) January 22, 2015
Tottenham (13), Newcastle (19) and Everton (20) also made the rich list, meaning eight of the world's top 20 richest clubs were English.
Due to broadcast deals, every single Premier Club made Deloitte's top 40 globally.
The collective revenue of United, City, Liverpool and Everton (£1.16bn) make the North West the most lucrative footballing region in the world.
Deloitte's Top 20 football clubs by revenue (2013/14):
1. Real Madrid - £459.5m
2. Manchester United - £433.2m
3. Bayern Munich - £407.7m
4. Barcelona - £405.2m
5. Paris Saint-Germain - £396.5m
6. Manchester City - £346.5m
7. Chelsea - £324.4m
8. Arsenal - £300.5m
9. Liverpool - £255.8m
10. Juventus - £233.6m
11. Borussia Dortmund - £218.7m
12. AC Milan - £208.8m
13. Tottenham - £180.5m
14. Schalke 04 - £178.9m
15. Atletico Madrid - £142.1m
16. Napoli £137.8m
17. Inter Milan - £137.1m
18. Galatasaray - £135.4m
19. Newcastle United - £129.7m
20. Everton - £120.5m
