Finance

Arsenal have been named among the Premier League teams "reviewing their position" regarding a proposed salary cap that could be introduced to the competition and has been scheduled for a vote this week. But circumstances have changed for the Gunners after an executive at the Emirates Stadium who was in favour of the idea has left the club.

Manchester United have been tipped to launch a basketball team as minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe explores other revenue streams. United are one of the most lucrative brands in the world and Sir Jim is keen to exploit the club's brand awareness in order to maximise profits having posted record financial revenues last year despite a poor domestic campaign under Erik ten Hag and then Ruben Amorim.

Barcelona presidential hopeful Xavier Vilajoana has accused Joan Laporta’s board of “lying” about the club’s financial situation and called for transparency over Lionel Messi’s 2021 exit. A new independent report commissioned by the former board member claims that Barca’s debt has ballooned to €4.12 billion, sparking questions about the club’s claims of economic recovery and whether Messi’s departure was really driven by finances at all.

Flamengo, the “Crown Jewel” of South American football, located in the famous Rio de Janeiro, with stable finances and over forty million football crazy fans, presents private equity (PE) with an incredible opportunity to leverage its untapped potential to improve commercial and on-field performance. Building upon its both recent continental as well as global success provides PE with a perfect window to expand and build on Flamengo’s commercial potential, building it into a true global football powerhouse.

Bayern Munich have once again posted record revenues, crossing €978 million (£858m/$1.1bn) in turnover for 2024–25. But as CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen proudly declared, the club’s success isn’t built on billionaire handouts or reckless spending. “We don’t have anyone handing us millions,” he said, defending Bayern’s prudent philosophy amid football’s inflated transfer market and the Premier League’s financial dominance.

British taxpayers will have to foot a bill to the tune of £2 million (€2.27m/$2.62m) if West Ham United are relegated from the Premier League this season. The Hammers are currently 19th in the league table after enduring a torrid season which is yet to pick up following the appointment of manager Nuno Espirito Santo as Graham Potter's successor.

West Ham United are facing the grim prospect of Premier League relegation and the financial fallout could be catastrophic. An expert has warned that dropping to the Championship would cost the club up to £120 million ($160m) in lost revenue from television rights, ticket sales, and sponsorships, compounding growing unrest among fans amid the club's worst league start in decades.

Once the home of Zinedine Zidane and one of France’s great football dynasties, Bordeaux now finds itself in the wilderness of the fourth tier. Yet beneath the ruins lies a sleeping giant waiting for revival.

Barcelona have recorded a net loss of €17million (£14.7m/$19.8m) for the 2024-25 season, despite bringing in a huge €994m (£862m/$1.16billion) in revenue across the campaign. The mouth-watering figures signal a slight downturn from 2023-24, where both Barca's income and expenditure were under €900m and they recorded a marginal net profit of €5m (£4.3m/$5.8m) overall.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has downplayed the impact of a proposed salary cap rule in the Premier League, saying England's top tier will "always be a strong league". The 20 clubs will vote on the new regulations next month. It is believed that City and their local rivals Manchester United are opposed to the idea, and are expected to go against the proposal.

Manchester United COO Collette Roche has outlined the profound impact which building a new stadium at Old Trafford would have not only on the football club but on the prosperity of the surrounding area and beyond. A 100,000-seater plan has been touted to replace the ageing Red Devils stadium, which would make it the biggest stadium in Europe, though slightly below Barcelona's expected 105,000-seater redeveloped Nou Camp.