Manchester United, at €3bn (£2.6bn), has been rated the most valuable football club in Europe.
According to business services group KPMG, the Europa League winners top its analysis of top sides’ “enterprise value”, putting it ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.
The study analysed broadcasting rights, profitability, popularity, sporting potential and stadium ownership.
In the study of 32 teams, English clubs dominate, filling six top 10 places.
Andrea Sartori, KPMG’s global head of sports and the report’s author, said the overall value of the football industry had grown over the past year.
“While this is partially explained by football’s broadcasting boom, the internationalisation of the clubs’ commercial operations, their investment into privately-owned and modern facilities, and overall more sustainable management practices are also key reasons for this growth.
“In terms of media rights value, the English Premier League sits comfortably at the top of European leagues, although other major leagues have outlined well-defined strategies to compete for the attention of global fans.” he said.
The report is based on financial and non-financial information from the 2014-15 and 2015-16 football seasons.
Top 10 European clubs by ‘enterprise value’
Manchester United – €3.09bn
Real Madrid – €2.97bn
Barcelona – €2.76bn
Bayern Munich – €2.44bn
Manchester City – €1.97bn
Arsenal – €1.95bn
Chelsea – €1.59bn
Liverpool – €1.33bn
Juventus – €1.21bn
Tottenham – €1.01bn
