After a tantalising title race that went to the wire, Manchester City successfully defended their Premier League title thanks to a narrow one-point lead over Liverpool.
On top of this fine achievement, an earlier Carabao Cup win and a resounding 6-0 victory over Watford in the FACup final ensured that the club ended the season with a historic domestic treble.
Indeed, these accomplishments coupled with Manchester City’s recent financial history mean that the club may be more valuable than ever before.
Gains from Prize Money, among other things
Planet Football estimates that the prize money received by each club in the Premier League this season, with City standing to rake in £147.5 million from the 2018-2019 season (excluding revenue from European and domestic cup games). This comprises of an estimated £38 million is from their final position, £30.1 million from television rights and the rest coming from their equal share that every club gets each season.
Considering the extra revenue gained from their cup runs, their overall profits could skyrocket once the final numbers are revealed.
As things stand though, Manchester City are set to become only the 2nd highest earning club in the league, with Liverpool beating them by just £1.5million. While the Reds may have finished 2nd in the league, the extra income comes from having more televised games.
High-quality players on lower wages
Furthermore, news that Manchester City have overtaken Manchester United as the most valuable club in the Premier League certainly helps. City are reportedly valued at £2.364 billion while their cross-town rivals are valued at £2.087 billion. These figures were calculated by the University of Liverpool’s Centre for Sports Business Group, taking into account factors like the gate receipts, wage control, account revenue and average profits on players sold over a three-year period, among other factors.
The research found that City’s position at the top of the Premier League as well as the fact they’ve got a number of players on lower wages (£260m in 2018) compared to United’s loftier salaries (£296m in 2018) has meant City have moved ahead of them in the rankings.
More wins, more investment
In football, it’s no secret that club owners generally see winning as a must to gain a return on their investment. This is the reason why some clubs see no problem with spending millions on certain players; with the expectation being that these players will help the club become recognised globally.
For Manchester City, they have household names such as Sergio Agüero, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and of course, manager Pep Guardiola. In the 2017/18 season, Guardiola’s influence saw Manchester City reach a record 100 points, while also winning his first Premier League title.
Last season he fell just short of that tally but still managed to lead City to another league title.
The Guardian notes Guardiola stands alone as City’s biggest star, having raised his side’s standards yet again, after guiding the Citizens to a second consecutive title, and outplaying rivals Liverpool.
Owner Sheikh Mansour has great belief in Guardiola and has always believed that he would guarantee a return on investment, when he brought the Spaniard to the club. So, for now, as long as Guardiola stays, it seems City could well be entering an era of dominance.
Last year, many wondered how Manchester City could possibly top their historic 100 league points. This year they demonstrated exactly how; while narrowly missing the 100-point mark they did make history by winning the domestic treble for the first time in the club’s history.
So, if City keep up their current form, and Pep Guardiola continues to innovate, it’s very likely that the club’s value will continue to soar, making the Sheikh a very happy man indeed.
Post written for financialfootballnews.com by Emma Graham
