Manchester United tops Deloitte list of football's biggest moneymakers

Manchester United has displaced Real Madrid as the richest football club in the world, according to Deloitte's latest financial releases for the 2015-16 season, posting €689 million (£515.3 million) and returning to pole position for the first time since 2006.

Madrid, which held the top ranking for 11 straight years, fell to third, behind rival outfit Barcelona, though by the slimmest of margins as the two Spanish sides posted €620.2 million and €620.1 million, respectively.

"Manchester United have had to wait 11 years to regain their position as the world's leading revenue-generating club and it has taken phenomenal commercial revenue growth to help them achieve this," Deloitte representative Dan Jones said, according to Sky Sports.

"In recent years, their ability to secure commercial partnerships with value in excess of that achievable by their peers has been the crucial factor in enabling the club to regain their place at the top of the Money League.

"That said, they'll face strong competition from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid to retain the top spot in next year's edition, due to the lack of Champions League football, the weakening of the pound against the Euro and, over the longer term, as other clubs enter the commercial market demanding similar deals, using United as the precedent."

Leicester City also managed to make the top 20 for the first time, posting €172.1 million (£128.7 million) as consequence to the team's incredible Premier League title victory last season.

West Ham, FC Schalke, and Zenit St. Petersburg were also included in the list.