Irons heading for huge financial jackpot

If West Ham were to finish in the top four this season it could be worth another £35 million to the club.

Finishing fourth in the Premier League would earn the Hammers an extra £10 million in merit payments after taking £11m for their twelfth place finish last season.

That would jump massively to £21m for fourth place and £22.2m if we could manage third place.

However, the really serious money would be made qualifying for UEFA Champions League football with prize money significantly increasing this season. Each club reaching the group stages gets a €12m bonus, a rise of 40% on last season. Every group win would earn €1.5m, while a draw gets €500,000.

On top of this, clubs get a share of the TV rights money called the ‘Market Pool’ worth €482m spilt by the 32 clubs depending on how much each country paid for their rights.

This meant last season, Manchester City earned €45.9m from the Champions League, Chelsea got €39.2m, Arsenal €36.3m and Liverpool €33.6m.

Liverpool failed to qualify from the Champions League group stage losing three games, drawing two and winning one game.  Despite this poor performance they still earned £26m from the Champions League and this was before the prize money increased!!

If West Ham qualified to the group stage they could expect to earn a minimum of £25m  without winning a game or progressing to the final 16. Progress to the last 16 and a minimum of £35m extra awaits us.  Dreaming I know – but beat Barcelona in the final of the Champions League next season and we could earn another £75m!

West Ham are currently in fifth place on 49 points in the Premier League table just 1 point away from fourth place Manchester City and 3 points away from third-place Arsenal who have 52 points.