Real Madrid have replaced Manchester United as the wealthiest football club in the world, according to the latest Deloitte Football Money League. Their bitter La Liga rivals Barcelona claimed second place, with the Red Devils slipping into third after generating £590m during the 2017-18 season - representing a comparatively low 2% year-on-year increase. Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich ranked fourth for a second year running with £557m, ahead of Premier League champions Manchester City with revenues of £504m - an 11% rise from 2016-17 figures. Image: Manchester United have slipped to third Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain climbed one place into sixth spot on £480m, followed by Liverpool. The Anfield club recorded the biggest income increase from clubs in the top 10, with profits soaring 25% to £455m after reaching the Champions League final last season. Advertisement Chelsea also achieved an impressive 22% growth with £448m. Image: Liverpool enjoyed a big rise in revenues Arsenal (£389m) dropped three places into ninth spot after missing out on Champions League football for the first time in two decades, but narrowly trumped north London rivals Tottenham (£379m). Everton (£189m), West Ham (£175m) and Newcastle (£179m) also made the top 20, with Rafa Benitez's side recording a chart-topping 108% increase in revenue - up from £86m in 2016-17. Other clubs to make the annual index include Juventus (£350m), Borussia Dortmund (£281m), Atletico Madrid (£270m), Inter Milan (£249m), Roma (£222m), Schalke (£216m) and AC Milan (£184m). Image: Deloitte Football Money League 2019 Dan Jones, head of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said: "Real Madrid's outstanding financial performance in 2017/18 is built on their long history of success on the pitch, most recently three consecutive Champions League titles. "This has enabled the club to continue to drive commercial revenue as the appetite to partner with Europe's most successful clubs remains stronger than ever."<doc-sep>Everton have been ranked 17th in the 2019 Deloitte Football Money League, its highest ever position in the table. The league’s rankings are based on revenue generated by football clubs around the world and their financial figures for the 2017/18 season. After rising from 23rd to 20th last year, the Blues have again moved up by three places this time around to an unprecedented 17th. The continuation of the Toffee’s upward curve is based largely on a 45 per cent increase in commercial income, sponsorship and ticket sales last campaign. In May 2017, the club agreed a record shirt sponsorship deal with Kenya-based betting platfom SportPesa, as well as forming a partnership later that year with Finnish video game developers Rovio, creators of Angry Birds. The club’s UEFA Europa League campaign last term also helped generate a record revenue of £188.6 million, a 10 per cent increase on the previous year, when Everton were not involved in European competition. Speaking to Everton’s official website, chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale said: “A key strategic objective for us is to drive significant growth in revenue and to manage costs effectively. “In the last four years the club has delivered a significant increase in commercial income, growing revenue by 91 per cent between 2014 and 2018. “Future expansion in our commercial portfolio remains one of our key priorities for the next 12 months. “As a club, we have set ourselves challenging ambitions, we have a plan in place to deliver on these long-term ambitions and we are already making significant progress.” The club’s chief finance and commercial officer, Sasha Ryazantsev, added: “Our commercial objectives are all about enhancing value, boosting revenues and ensuring that we are increasingly more competitive when measured against other clubs. “If we look at the five-year trend in revenue, in relative terms it is commercial revenue that has increased the most – with 125 per cent growth. “Of course, we are very competitive with our ticket pricing and we are very proud of the commitment we have made to our fans – our matchday income has actually gone down by three per cent. It is another reason why the move to a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock is crucial for us.”<doc-sep>
Newcastle have been ranked 19th in the 2019 Deloitte Money League, marking the biggest year-on-year revenue growth among listed clubs. It comes as talks of a takeover from potential suitors have stalled, with current owner Mike Ashley reluctant to grant boss Rafael Benitez money to fund any January transfers. Despite this, Newcastle have been ranked ahead of European heavyweights such as Napoli, Ajax and Benfica and fellow Premier League clubs West Ham, Leicester and Southampton. The Tyneside club have generated a total revenue of £178.5m during 2017/18, having earned less than £100m in the previous season in which they achieved promotion from the Championship. It marks their return to the Money League for the first time since 2014/15 when they achieved 17th place in the rankings, after they reached the Europa League quarter-finals the previous season. Image: Newcastle have generated a total revenue of £178.5m during 2017/18, marking the biggest year-on-year revenue in 2019 Newcastle's highest-ever finish in the Money League occurred in the 1997/98 season in which the Magpies made their Champions League debut after finishing runners-up in the Premier League the previous season. The club's return to the Premier League last season, and successfully avoiding relegation, resulted in a £79m (167 per cent) increase in broadcast revenue. Deloitte predicts that avoiding relegation this season should be enough for Newcastle to retain their spot in the top 20 wealthiest clubs in the world in 2020. Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona claimed first and second spot in the 2019 Deloitte Football Money League, while Manchester United drop to third place after topping the charts last year.