Man City Could Miss Out On $144M If Club Fails To Qualify For Champions League

Missing out on the Champions League next season "could cost" Man City up to £100M ($144M), according to Stuart Brennan of the MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS. Man City is praying West Ham "can do them a favour" against rivals ManU at Upton Park, because a ManU win would see Man City "drop out of the top four for the first time this season" -- with one game to play. Football finance expert Rob Wilson has based his estimate on the £50M ($72M) Man City "made from this season's competition." But he reckons that missing out on the European elite competition also means they "will have to fork out more on transfer fees ad wages in order to attract the players they need." He said, "You lose out on the Champions League revenue -- about a £50 million reduction ... What you tend to find is there is an inflation to get those type of players to join you when you can't offer them Champions League football. That could be another £50 million" (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS, 5/9).