Real, Barca and United lead way in club value list
EUROPEAN champions Real Madrid are the world’s most valuable football club, with Manchester United the highest placed English team, according to a new ranking compiled by magazine Forbes.
Real are estimated to be worth £2.13bn, marginally more than their bitter rivals Barcelona (£2.07bn) and fellow global powerhouse United (£2.03bn).
All three are valued £500m higher than their nearest challenger, Bayern Munich, who are said to be worth £1.54bn.
The Bavarian giants hold a similar advantage over the next tranche, a Premier League trio of Manchester City (£905m), Chelsea (£898m) and Arsenal (£859m).
Domestic rivals Liverpool, valued at £644m, are eighth, with Champions League semi-finalists Juventus and fellow Italians AC Milan, who are estimated to be worth £549m and £508m respectively, completing the top 10.
Tottenham, who rank 13th with an estimated worth of £393m, Newcastle, who are valued at £229m and lie 18th, and West Ham, one place below on £203m, are also in the top 20.
Forbes’s list is one of many that seeks to value football teams, and has been criticised for under-estimating the worth of some teams and changing methodology.