Man United looking to make sure they play Champions League football next season
Manchester United have set their sights on qualifying for the Champions League before the final week of the Premier League season.
The Reds beat Bournemouth 1-0 on Saturday to stay in the top four and leave their fate in their own hands. Erik ten Hag's side are three points ahead of Liverpool in fifth place after drawing with Aston Villa, and United can still overtake Newcastle United to finish third. And while the benefits of securing a spot in Europe's elite competition are clear, United will also be looking to maximize their performance in the season with a solid finish. The Red Devils are sure to make a fortune from the Premier League thanks to the wealth available to elite clubs.
Huge TV deals at home and abroad mean that even relegated clubs pocket more than £100m and the top teams could have close to £150m in the bank. Specific figures are not provided by the Premier League until the end of the season, but using last year's figures it is possible to predict how much United will earn and how much more they can inflate their budget.
Last season, each club earned just under £32m from an equal share of a UK TV contract, while clubs were paid between £11m and £25m in set-up fees based on numbers. times they were live streamed. United have made more than £24 million and can expect a similar payout this term given the game volume shown on the box. The international TV deal netted the clubs £55m in the form of equal shares and central commercial payments, bringing the cumulative total to around £111m.
And where there is still money to be made is in the last places of the tournament. Each club receives two well-deserved bonuses and the difference between third or fifth place, the real figures United will face in the final week of the season, is just under £4m. Third place last season earned £39m in prize money while fifth place figures were just over £35m with a difference of around £2m for each position in the table. All told, it means United could still be chasing close to £150m in the last two games.
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