Tottenham: Arsenal look to hand Daniel Levy a £37m-plus windfall to end battle with Aston Villa
The UEFA coefficient has given Tottenham millions of reasons to want the best for their closest rivals Arsenal in European competition this season.
And they may even find time to hope for success at West Ham as well, given the financial benefits it could lead to for Ange Postecoglou moving forward.
Martin Ziegler reports in The Times (16 April) that with Spurs locked in battle with Aston Villa to finish fourth in the Premier League and secure the last guaranteed Champions League spot, trailing by three points with a game in hand, they could be given a helping hand by their London rivals.
UEFA are set to hand a fifth qualification spot to two European leagues this summer, based on that nation’s clubs’ performances in Europe this season, and with Italy looking assured to be one of them it is a tight race between England and Germany to be the other.
Germany are marginally ahead as things stand, on 16.785 to England’s 16.750, and with perennial Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich level at 2-2 with the Gunners after the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final, while the Hammers are trailing 2-0 at the same stage of their Europa League tie with actual German champions Bayer Leverkusen the outcome of their second legs could be crucial.
Ange Postecoglou could get more freedom for Tottenham transfer spend
It goes without saying that cheering for local Premier League rivals won’t come naturally to Tottenham supporters, especially with regards to their North London derby nemesis at the Emirates, but the financial rewards at Spurs for Mikel Arteta’s team progressing could be significant.
The money projected to be on offer for participation, and particularly success, in next season’s expanded competition is huge, with Ziegler previously reporting [Times, 9 May] that UEFA predicted the revamp would push the total TV money available across European competitions up to £4.2billion, a 33% rise.
A share of that amount would be welcome if Daniel Levy is going to help Postecolgou strengthen his squad this summer, which the Spurs chief’s league-leading business practices bound to see him put up a smaller transfer budget without qualification to the continent’s top competition.
There is obviously a reason why clubs are so desperate to make it in as it has the capacity to change the future outlook of a club for better or for worse, and Fox Sports reported that UEFA have pledged to also award €2.46bn in prize money across the Champions League clubs [£2.1bn].
According to the Daily Record (10 February) each club are expected to receive an increased starting payment just for qualifying, up 20% to €18.84m [£16.08m] next term, while more complicated formulas will be used to distribute the TV and coefficient money, before performance-related payments are even factored in.
With the new format guaranteeing league stage clubs four home games, and with the Spurs stadium worth a “staggering” £4.9m per game [Swiss Ramble, 8 April], it means a helping hand from Arsenal and company could be hugely lucrative at Tottenham.
Manchester City’s progress is also relevant, as is Borussia Dortmund’s, but Arsenal can strike the biggest helpful blow at this stage, with £19.6m match-day revenue, plus a £16.08m starting payment, meaning Spurs could land a £37.68m windfall even before a share of the massive TV cash, and any performance bonuses.
Arteta’s men will clearly be pushing to get past Harry Kane and Bayern for their own ends, so it might be an odd sensation all round for an Arsenal victory to benefit Spurs as well.
In other Tottenham news, alarm bells will be ringing for Postecoglou after what one of his key men admits he plans to do.
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