Manchester United will head into next month's
Champions League final in Moscow having enhanced their status as
the richest football club in the world.
United have increased their wealth in the annual list of the
world's 25 most valuable clubs, topping the table with £0.9billion,
from £0.7billion in 2007. Second-placed Real Madrid boast a higher
operating profit at £56million but lag behind the Old Trafford
club, for whom Malcolm Glazer paid £0.7billion in 2005.
United's domestic rivals Liverpool have put a season of
boardroom strife behind them to rocket seven places from 11th to
fourth place in the list. The Reds' value more than doubled from
£227million to £525million despite the ongoing controversy over the
club's ownership.
Meanwhile, David Beckham has replaced Ronaldinho as the world's
best paid player after his deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy which
helped earn him £25million per year. The Brazilian had to be
content with second place while Thierry Henry's pain at missing out
on a Champions League final will have been eased by the
£12.5million he earned in salary and sponsorship deals this
season.