City race up Europe's rich list, United remain PL wealthiest
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Manchester City race up Europe's rich list, but United remain Premier League's wealthiest
Money talks: City's financial standing has improved greatly since the takeover by Sheikh Mansour
Manchester City's rise to prominence on the European stage has been underlined in spectacular fashion by the publication of the annual report into football finance by accountants Deloitte.
Despite the fact that City have still not qualified for the Champions League - narrowly missing out to Tottenham last season - figures for the 2009-10 season show that the richest club in the world have begun improving their moneymaking activities in keeping with their recently acquired status.
Last year's publication had City in 20th position in Deloitte's Football Money League, with an annual revenue figure of £87million. However, in the space of only a year that figure has rocketed to £125.1m and has moved them up to 11th spot.
Although Spanish giants Real Madrid (£359.1m) and Barcelona (£325.9m) still sit in the top two spots with Manchester United third with an annual income of £286.4m (up by £7.9m), City's leap up the table is by far the most impressive.
Certainly it reflects well on the efforts of much-maligned City chief executive Garry Cook and will encourage the club that they can bring their income and expenditure equation into line with the FIFA Fair Play rules due to be introduced in the coming years.
City's enormous jump in revenue is a reflection of increased income from new sponsorship deals at home and in Asia, the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, America. If Roberto Mancini guides his team into next season's Champions League, City will certainly make it in to the rich list top 10.
Last night Alan Switzer, director of football business at Deloitte, said: 'The table is based on the revenue generated by the club, so the factor that Manchester City have a rich owner isn't the direct reason for their good showing.
At the Double: Chelsea's revenue increased following their league and cup successes last season
'The main movement for City has been in their commercial revenue. They have had great success on the traditional stuff like the shirt sales but they have also excelled in that next tier of sponsorship. They have been able to look to the Middle East and across the Atlantic.
'We certainly expect to be reporting another substantial increase in revenue for City next year. Whether it is enough to get into that top 10 depends on the results of the club.
'There's an interesting tussle to break into the top 10 next year, actually. Manchester City have made a big move up the table without being in the Champions League. But even if they do qualify it will be close between them, Spurs, Juventus and Liverpool for that 10th spot.
'It is too close to call because we don't know what Spurs are going to do in the Champions League this season.'
Elsewhere in the Barclays Premier League, Arsenal have continued to show promising financial performance, something that reflects the benefit of their move to the Emirates Stadium.
The London club are fifth in the table, as they were last year, with their annual income staying just about unchanged at £224m.
One club who may wish to worry, however, is Liverpool. The Merseyside club have slipped one place to eighth in the table and although their revenue has stayed stable at around the £184m mark, they will inevitably come under threat from City and Spurs next year as - for the second season running - they are struggling to qualify for the cash-rich Champions League.
It is also clear that Liverpool's failure to build and move into a new stadium is holding them back. Switzer said: 'Arsenal's move to the Emirates is one of the main reasons why they have moved up the table in the last 10 years.
'Ten years ago they were 13th and now they are up to fifth. If they continue not to play Champions League football, Liverpool will be under a lot of pressure from the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham to stay in the top 10.'
Chelsea remain in sixth spot in the table with an annual revenue of £209.5m, a slight rise from the previous year.
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Man City got all the oil revenues from Abu Dhabi mah.....................
jialat...................Roma drop to 18th liao ah.....................si liao lah..................
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no club/team in the world can rival Mcity. End of story.
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Here is a list of the richest clubs in Europe......next week they will publish a new list with the teams in most dept......and most of the same team on this list will come up again.......