Manchester United top world football money list

Manchester United have retained their position as world's highest revenue-generating football club, just ahead of Spain’s Real Madrid by the narrowest margin ever between the top two according to the latest annual "Money League" report by accountancy firm Deloitte.

The Premier League club topped the Football Money League for the 10th time by posting a revenue of 676.3 million euros during the 2016-17 season, pipping Real Madrid to the top spot by just  1.7 million euros the closest margin in the rich list's 21 years while Barcelona were third on 648.3 million euros.

United's Europa League success was crucial in holding off Real, whose 12th Champions League win helped them swap places with Spanish rivals Barcelona.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich held onto fourth spot and Manchester City stayed in fifth place with revenues of £454m. Arsenal climbed to sixth, swapping places with Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea, Liverpool and Juventus keep their places to round out the top 10.
The combined revenue for the top 20 highest-earning clubs rose by six per cent to a record 7.9 billion euros.

Also, the top 20 was made up of 10 English clubs, who were boosted by the fact that 2016-17 was the first season of the current Premier League broadcast rights deal.

Big movers include former Premier League champions Leicester City, who climbed from 20th last year to 14th, and Southampton, who enter the top 20 for the first time in 18th position. Both were boosted by playing in European competitions last season.

The remaining 10 clubs comprised of three each from Spain, Germany and Italy and one from France.

Inter Milan climbed four places to 15th thanks largely to commercial growth following their takeover by Chinese company Suning Holdings Group.

Seven-time European champions AC Milan dropped out of the top 20 for the first time.