Manchester United have made a flying start to the season and it looks like they have a fighting chance to seriously compete for the Premier League title for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired back in 2013.
Of course, that does not hide the fact that the Red Devils have been mediocre for quite some time now. And it is only their former glories under the legendary manager that helped them remain one of the most popular clubs in the world despite the lack of success on the field.
This has consequently meant that they are one of the richest clubs on the planet. Although the football has been pretty dry on the pitch, it has never stopped the club from acquiring some of the biggest sponsorships in world football. And why not, Manchester United are one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
But the lack of actual success in football was always bound to take its toll, sooner or later. Although, the global pandemic also surely played a massive part, as the Red Devils dropped down a position in the latest Deloitte Football Money League which charts the financial performances of the highest-revenue generating clubs.
Manchester United’s revenue saw the largest drop of any club on the list
As reported by Sky Sports, United dropped down to fourth in the list behind FC Barcelona (first), Real Madrid (second) and Bayern Munich (third). Liverpool also leapfrogged a couple of teams from last time around to finish on fifth, which is clearly a direct consequence of their recent success on the field under Jurgen Klopp, winning the Champions League and the Premier League in consecutive seasons.
The other Premier League teams in top 20 of the prestigious list are Manchester City (sixth), Chelsea (eighth), Tottenham Hotspur (ninth), Arsenal (eleventh) and Everton (seventeenth).
Manchester United also suffered the largest decrease when it comes to revenue on the list, although the effects of the pandemic and the absence of Champions League football cannot ve overlooked.