TheCable

Manchester United returned to the top of Forbes’ most valuable football teams for the first time in five years with an estimated net worth of £2.86bn.

In spite of the Red Devil’s failure to finish in the top four, the club is still ranked above Champions League and La Liga winner Real Madrid as well as Barcelona.

United generated £593million during the 2015/16 campaign which was £60m more than both top Spanish clubs.

According to the US business magazine, Barcelona’s current value is £2.82bn, while Real Madrid is worth £2.77bn.

The Red Devils generated an operating income of £223m which is by far the most profitable football club in the world and £83m more than Real Madrid.

“Manchester United’s return to the top spot is a testament to their powerful brand and marketing acumen,” said Mike Ozanian, assistant managing editor at Forbes Media.

Bayern Munich came in at fourth place with £2.10bn while Manchester City, who moved above Arsenal, are valued at £1.61bn.

The good news for the Premier League is that six English teams feature in the top ten with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham joining Serie A champions Juventus to make up the top ten.

Forbes’ top 10 world’s most valuable football teams:

Manchester United – US$3.69bn (£2.86bn)
Barcelona – $3.64bn (£2.82bn)
Real Madrid – $3.58bn (£2.77bn)
Bayern Munich – $2.71bn (£2.10bn)
Manchester City – $2.08bn (£1.61bn)
Arsenal – $1.93bn (£1.50bn)
Chelsea – $1.85bn (£1.43bn)
Liverpool – $1.49bn (£1.15bn)
Juventus – $1.26bn (£980m)
Tottenham – $1.06bn (£820m)