Year one - secure an immediate return to Europe, probably in the Europa League, via a sixth-placed Premier League finish. Year two - back in the Champions League, with fourth seen as a realistic finishing spot for the 2026-27 campaign. But the cash injection that comes through Champions League qualification is there for all to see. In their first quarter results, overall revenue for the 2025-26 financial year was predicted to be between £640m and £660m. For the Champions League, the figures would be £50m as a minimum and potentially more than £100m.

Source: BBC February 24, 2026 15:35 UTC