As Liverpool look to rebuild their side once again this summer, prize money is ultimately a key factor in making that possible.
After their stunning league success last year, they were able to sign key profile targets such as Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak. Winning the title helped them make that decision, but the finances allowed the Reds to make two signings, each over £100 million.
With heavyweights like Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah already leaving the team, serious additions will be required to ensure the squad is able to compete on all fronts.
Following a miserable campaign that culminated in the shock sacking of head coach Arne Slot over the weekend, the club is stepping into a summer of massive transition without a manager currently in the hot seat.
Fortunately, despite the sudden drop to fifth, the Reds managed to squeeze through into the Champions League places via the league’s coefficient rating, ensuring the vital elite-European revenue stream remains intact.
With the summer window now on the doorstep of the club, their preparations will begin to climb back up the league as their means to not only return to glory, but to secure the finances to continue to build the Anfield outfit.
Premier League title finances
When Liverpool won the Premier League for the 2024/25 campaign, the BBC released a report on how much the Reds earned from that season, and they received a staggering £174.9 million after their successful campaign.
The finances are broken down into several groups, and the higher each lands on the mark, the more money they get. The prize money consists of TV broadcast rights across the UK and International markets, and in that campaign, the Reds had 30 games televised out of 38, the most in the league.
They also get fees through commercial deals, facility fees and equal shares are split amongst the 20 clubs. When they were the Champions of England, the club got £53.1 million through basic merit payments and an extra £24.9 million in facility fees.
Last season, Newcastle were the team that finished their season in fifth place, while also getting into the Champions League due to the league’s coefficient rating. The Magpies earned £160.2 million, just over £14 million less than the Merseyside club.
How does the reading look for the latest Premier League campaign?
Liverpool make more
Despite what many may expect, the Reds have gone on to make more money this time around despite dropping down the league, in fact if they had dropped down to sixth outside of the Champions League spots, they would have only lost £4 million compared to the previous season.
In The Athletic’s report on the finances, Slot’s side earned £181.8 million from the most recent campaign. One huge change is that their televised matches are one higher than the title-winning season, though that is less than their main title rivals in Manchester City and Arsenal. Aston Villa, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest were also broadcast more often.
Liverpool scored quite high on the facility fee section, which saw them pick up £21.7 million, only behind the Gunners (£23.6m) and the Red Devils (£23.9m). With the Anfield outfit making more than last year, it comes as no surprise that Arsenal have made more in their successful campaign, making £198.7 million, almost £15 million more.
Impact on signings
The club would have liked the extra money that Mikel Arteta’s side received to rebuild different areas in the club, whether that’s players, staff or infrastructure at Anfield or the Axa training centre, though it should bear little difference on much-needed players.
Champions League qualification is a big reason why they will be able to spend the money requried; had they dropped outside the top five, it would have become difficult. The only issue is the possibility of ‘Premier League Tax’, where teams from England and abroad look for higher fees from Premier League sides.
Players like Yan Diomande, Bradley Barcola and Adam Wharton would be in that category as the more expensive options Liverpool have been linked with this summer, though the reports suggest that little should stand in their way when it comes to securing the best talents to help put them back on track.
