The news that Liverpool are the big winners in last season’s financial stakes comes as no surprise – the question now is can they finally replicate that success by winning some silverware?
According to Deloitte, Liverpool generated £455 million in revenues during the 2017/18 season, moving them up from 9th to 7th in the rankings.
The growth was driven primarily by their performance in reaching the Champions League Final and the resulting financial rewards.
Real Madrid (£665m) and Barcelona (£611m) overtook Manchester United (£590m) at the top of the standings.
Bayern Munich (£557m) and Manchester City (£504m) complete the top five.
Paris Saint-Germain are sixth on £480m, followed by Liverpool (£455m), Chelsea (£448m), Arsenal (£389m) and Tottenham Hotspur (£379m) filling the next four places.
However, it is Liverpool’s rise up the table that is perhaps the most interesting development in European football’s financial stakes.
Their run to the Champions League Final meant huge increases in broadcasting revenue, with the club pocketing £222.6m last season – a rise of almost £66m on the previous year.
While Liverpool’s financial status is certainly healthy, their new found wealth is yet to deliver what their fans are really interested in – trophies.
Their off-field growth is expected to deliver an annual net profit of around £90m, a figure that fans may question if they end this season empty-handed.
They are in pole position in the Premier League with 15 games to play, four points ahead of reigning champions Manchester City.
Despite their lead, their squad still doesn’t look as deep as City’s and it would be no surprise to see them overhauled on the run-in.
With the Reds out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup their only other hope of success is the Champions League, although they are unlikely to find things easy against Bayern in the round of 16.
One League Cup triumph is all Liverpool have to show for their efforts since 2006 and that is a terrible record for a supposedly big club.
Rising revenues and healthy profits will undoubtedly please the money-men at Anfield, but Liverpool can ill-afford another season without silverware. Over to you Mr Klopp.
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