The stark statistics reveal a sobering truth: Manchester United is slipping behind the competition.

For the first time, the club has plunged to its lowest rank in the Deloitte Money League, now sitting in eighth place among the world’s wealthiest football clubs.

Despite achieving nearly £666 million in record revenue last year, underwhelming performances on the pitch have allowed competitors to leapfrog them.

United managed to secure the highest matchday earnings in the Premier League, even during a lackluster season reminiscent of their 1974 relegation. However, their position suffered due to a significant £45 million drop in broadcast revenue, a consequence of missing out on Champions League participation.

The outlook appears grim for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, as Manchester United’s standing seems poised for further decline.

Things look no brighter this season for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Man United hierarchy after the club received a disappointing Football Money League ranking

After exiting the FA Cup to Brighton at the start of the month, the Red Devils will have one of their shortest seasons of the Premier League era this term

Football finance specialist Kieran Maguire explained to Daily Mail Sport, “In the Premier League, each position is valued at £3.5 million, so ending the season in 15th place dealt a significant blow to the club.”

‘On the plus side, matchday revenues were the highest in the Premier League as the price rises brought in by Ineos and the additional matches in the group stage of the Europa League increased this revenue stream by £34m. Strong commercial growth also helped offset lower broadcast income.

‘Expect United to potentially fall further in the table in 2025-26 due to the fewest number of games taking place at a still sold-out Old Trafford, alongside zero UEFA monies and a £10m penalty from sponsors adidas for not qualifying for the Champions League.’

United falling at the first hurdle in both domestic cups this term, combined with no European football, means they will play just 40 matches in 2025-26, their fewest in 111 seasons.

‘This matters in that they will probably raise prices further,’ added Maguire.

Manchester United Supporters Trust described it as a ‘kick in the teeth’.

United’s position will raise further concerns over future job losses. Ratcliffe made about 250 staff redundant in 2024 with 200 more announced last year, as well as cutting salaries to club ambassadors like Sir Alex Ferguson and closing the paid-for staff canteen.

For the first time in the Deloitte report’s 29-year history, no English side made the top four, as Liverpool led the way in fifth.

Liverpool claimed the top Premier League spot with their fifth-place ranking behind clubs like Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain

Reds on top 

 Liverpool leapt from eighth in 2023-24, the position now occupied by United, to fifth after recording revenues of £729m.

For the third season in a row it was commercial revenue that accounted for the biggest income stream among the biggest clubs, at a combined £4.5bn.

Tim Bridge, the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group, also pointed to the presence of ‘on-site breweries, hotels and restaurants’ as a reason for this commercial boom.

Liverpool, who recorded the highest wage bill in the Premier League of £437m, were no different. Not only did Arne Slot’s side romp to a second Premier League title, but the club cashed in elsewhere by staging Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Dua Lipa concerts at Anfield.

‘Liverpool have become champions on and off the pitch as they benefitted from modest progress in the Champions League, which is critical as it generates 3.5 times as much prize money as the Europa League and seven times that of the Conference League,’ said Maguire.

‘In addition, you can sell the hospitality boxes for premium rates when it’s PSG and Real Madrid at Anfield.

‘The new deal with adidas helped boost merchandise sales as Liverpool opened up megastores around the world.’

Anfield became one of the hottest venues of the summer with appearances from Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift

Villa in the clear?  

One club who enjoyed a sharp rise was Aston Villa, who moved above AC Milan, Juventus and Newcastle into 14th with a revenue of more than £390m — a boost of 45 per cent.

The run to the last eight of the Champions League helped the club bank more than £70m in prize money, a huge jump from the semi-finals of the Conference League the season before.

New sponsorship deals with adidas and Betano helped their commercial income nearly double to more than £70m, while Villa’s turnover-to-wages ratio dropped from 96 per cent to 71 per cent.

All of this will be vital for a club that has been penny-pinching in recent transfer windows to stay in line with financial rules. But they are not out of the woods yet. Missing out on this season’s Champions League will see that broadcast revenue drop next year.

‘Legacy losses (the club lost nearly £120m in 2022-23 and £86m in 2023-24) mean that Villa still have to be careful in 2025-26 as they’ve already been given a £9.5m UEFA fine for a PSR (Profit and Sustainability Rules) breach and could have a bigger one if they fail to adhere to the business plan they were asked to follow,’ added Maguire.

After a challenging period of penny-pinching in an attempt to stay within the rules, Aston Villa’s fortunes are much healthier

City’s short-term pain

It was a poor result for the other side of Manchester, too, as City plummeted from top in 2023,

second last year, down to sixth after they brought in revenues of £723m, a one per cent drop on their previous figure.

But, unlike United, the future looks bright.

City’s matchday revenue was just £78m, far below that of United (£166m), Arsenal (£159m) and Liverpool (£130m), but that figure will rise when they open the new North Stand.

‘An early exit from the

Champions League was offset by participation in FIFA’s derided but lucrative Club World Cup, which will also contribute to their

2025-26 figures,’ said Maguire.

‘A new deal with Puma worth £1bn over 10 years will also

Strength in depth

While there were no Premier League teams in the top four, English top-flight sides still made up half of the biggest 30 clubs.

Six sides made up the top 10 with Arsenal (7th), Tottenham (9th) and Chelsea 10th joining Liverpool, United and City.

‘Arsenal finished above Manchester United for the first time in many years,’ said Maguire. ‘A semi-final place in the Champions League helped drive broadcasting prize money from UEFA along with second place finish in the Premier League.

‘Commercial income continues to drive upwards as Arsenal’s relative success, albeit without winning trophies, has made them the pre-eminent London club financially and attractive to sponsors.

‘Spurs managed a nine percent increase in revenue despite a poor Premier League season. Winning the Europa League has given them a back door into the Champions League which will boost coffers considerably.

‘The agreement with Haringey Council that the club can host 30 non-football events a season means the new stadium is truly multi-sport and multi-function, as was intended, and a big contribution to revenue growth.’

Newcastle (17th) and West Ham (20th) remained in the top 20, despite both dropping in position while the position of Brighton (22nd), Crystal Palace (24th) and Bournemouth (25th) showed just how much powerful the draw of the Premier League remains.

Wolves moved up even though they’re going down and even Brentford’s revenue of £180m put them 28th, a place above Flamengo, the biggest club in Brazil.

‘That shows the strength in depth of the Premier League,’ added Maguire. ‘It means that Brentford playing in a 20,000 stadium generate more income than any club in North, Central or South America on the back of the Premier League’s television deals.

‘It also means that the Premier League is more competitive as its members have bigger budgets that all but the elite of Europe, allowing a smaller club such as Crystal Palace to win the FA Cup.’