PREMIER LEAGUE

Doing the sums ... 19 clubs lost a combined £380million before tax

By DAN KING

Published: Today at 00:52

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are making more money than ever – but they are splashing all the cash and MORE on wages and transfers.

England’s top flight is the most glamorous and most watched league in the world, as billions tune in to see stars such as Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

But the sort of drama that climaxed with Man City clinching the title with a stoppage-time winner on the final day of the season comes at a hefty price.

According to Deloitte’s Annual Review Of Football Finance, the Premier League remains the richest in Europe.

Figures from the 2010/11 season reveal that total income rose 12 per cent to a record £2,271MILLION — almost £700million ahead of the nearest rival, the German Bundesliga.

Yet between them, the 19 clubs — Birmingham City did not publish accounts — made £16million LESS from day-to-day operations — and LOST an incredible £380MILLION before tax. That is because while total revenue from things such as TV rights, sponsorship and tickets climbed by £241million, spending on wages and transfers went up by a combined £411MILLION.

Only eight of the 19 clubs made a profit, despite the record income coming on the back of the biggest TV deal in the history of league football. Newcastle made the biggest profit — £33million — because of Andy Carroll’s £35million transfer to Liverpool.

Manchester City’s record losses of £197million made up more than half the Premier League deficit. A net transfer spree of £144million on stars including £27million striker Edin Dzeko and a wage bill of £173million contributed to the problem.

Chelsea, who pay the likes of John Terry well over £100,000 a week, topped the salary charts with £191million. The total spend on wages for all clubs was £1,599million. Adam Bull, consultant in the sports business group at Deloitte, said: “Despite the increase in revenue, operating profits reduced by £16million (19 per cent) to £68million in 2010/11 and combined pre-tax losses were £380million.

“Gross transfer spending by Premier League clubs increased by £210million (38 per cent) to a record level of £769million.

“The challenge remains converting impressive revenue growth into sustainable profits. This will become even more important as financial results for 2011/12 will, for the first time, count towards their UEFA Financial Fair Play break-even calculation.”

Under these FFP rules, clubs who do not break even over a three-season period — with a loss safety net of just £36million as the rules are phased in — face fines or even a ban from the lucrative Champions League.

The report also reveals the gap between the so-called big and smaller clubs has widened.

Combined commercial income went up in 2010/11 by nearly £83million but most of that was down to huge new sponsorship deals struck by Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool. Revenue from tickets went up £20million across the 19 clubs and the average attendance per game rose — but nearly half of the clubs made less money on the gate than the season before.

To combat the tough economic climate, some clubs lowered prices to keep crowds coming but that meant they ended up taking less money on their ticket sales.

A Premier League spokesman said: “Fans want to see their cash on the field, not in the boardroom. So while profits are down, crowds are up.”

Media rights cash went up 13 per cent, to £1,178million, with much of this down to improved deals with overseas broadcasters.

And the net debt of clubs fell — to £2,360MILLION. Of that, £1,500million is in “soft loans” — money lent to clubs by owners with no interest charged, including Roman Abramovich’s £819million investment in Chelsea.

The report also highlights the gulf between the Premier League and the rest of English football.

While the Premier League clubs raked in £2,271million, the 72 clubs in the Football League’s three divisions took in less than £700million between them.

So in terms of earning and splurging, the English top flight remains in a league of its own.

Wages

Chelsea .......... £191m

Man City ......... £173m

Man Utd .......... £153m

Liverpool ........ £135m

Arsenal ........... £124m

Transfers

Man City ......... £144m

Chelsea ............ £61m

Man Utd ............ £40m

Tottenham ........ £26m

A Villa ............... £18m

Pre-tax losses

Man City ......... £197m

Chelsea ............ £78m

A Villa ............... £54m

Liverpool .......... £49m

Bolton .............. £26m

Pre-tax profits

Newcastle ......... £33m

Blackpool ......... £20m

West Brom ....... £19m

Arsenal ............ £15m

Man Utd ........... £12m

Skandal seks RM300 juta Ziyi

Zhang Ziyi dan gambar kanan merupakan pegawai tertinggi kerajaan China, Bo Xilai. Mereka didakwa mempunyai hubungan sulit dan telah tidur bersama sebanyak lebih 10 kali sejak tahun 2007.

NAMA aktres China, Zhang Ziyi tiba-tiba meledak pada minggu ini. Namanya meledak bukan kerana projek filem terbaharu, sebaliknya kerana dakwaan 'projek seks' beliau bersama beberapa pegawai tertinggi kerajaan China.

Berita tersebut kini menjadi bahan utama hampir semua media China dan Taiwan. Malah berita tersebut juga kini merebak ke seluruh dunia menerusi beberapa laporan di internet.

Ziyi didakwa merupakan 'teman setia tidur' seorang pegawai tertinggi kerajaan bernama Bo Xilai, dan hal itu diakui sendiri oleh Bo Xilai kepada satu sumber.

Untuk servis pertama kali dengan Ziyi pada tahun 2007, Bo Xilai memberitahu beliau telah membayar sebanyak RM2.9 juta kepada aktres tersebut. Mereka kemudian telah tidur bersama lebih 10 kali sepanjang tahun 2007 hingga 2011.

Bo Xilai turut mengatur temu janji aktres yang terbabit menerusi filem hebat seperti Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Rush Hour 2 dan Memoirs of a Geisha itu dengan seorang lagi pegawai tertinggi kerajaan yang turut membayar Ziyi dengan jumlah RM4.9 juta untuk hubungan seks mereka.

Ia menjadi bertambah hangat kerana 'projek seks' Ziyi bersama Bo Xilai dan beberapa pegawai kerajaan lain serta orang kenamaan China sepanjang 10 tahun berkecimpung sebagai aktres didakwa bernilai RM300 juta!

Segala persoalan tersebut bagaimanapun belum mempunyai jawapan. Ini kerana aktres yang sepatutnya hadir ke Festival Filem Cannes di Perancis untuk mempromosi filem terbaharunya, Dangerous Liaisons tidak menghadiri majlis berprestij tersebut. Jika beliau hadir ke majlis tersebut, barangkali berita yang sedang hangat diperkatakan ini akan menemui jalan penamat dengan kenyataan yang diberi Ziyi.

Sebaliknya, aktres berusia 33 tahun itu memberi alasan bahawa ketidakhadirannya ke majlis tersebut kerana beliau kini sedang sibuk di lokasi penggambaran filem The Grangmasters.

Realitinya, menurut laporan beberapa media China, Ziyi kini tidak dibenarkan meninggalkan republik tersebut sehingga siasatan ke atas kes tersebut selesai.

Beliau juga gagal dihubungi pihak media yang mahu mendapatkan pengesahan mengenai pendedahan skandal seks tersebut.

Bagaimanapun dalam blog peribadi miliknya, Ziyi pada 30 Mei lalu hanya menulis: "Banyak orang boleh membuat angin menjadi hujan". Ia umpama satu penafian terhadap isu yang sedang dihadapi kini.

Sebelum ini, pada tahun 2010, Ziyi telah dituduh menyalah guna duit kutipan dana untuk tabung gempa bumi di Sichuan, China. Dana tersebut dilaporkan berjaya dikutip sebanyak RM3 juta, bagaimanapun Ziyi mendakwa beliau hanya mampu mengutip sebanyak RM1.2 juta sahaja.

Malah pada tahun 2009, aktres tersebut tersangkut dakwaan menipu seorang ahli perniagaan yang pada waktu itu mempunyai skandal dengannya melibatkan nilai jutaan ringgit. Padahal, pada waktu sama, beliau sedang bertunang dengan seorang jutawan bernama Vivi Nevo.

Mereka bagaimanapun berpisah pada tahun 2010.

Berlian merah jambu dijual RM55 juta

GAMBAR bertarikh 8 Mei 2012 menunjukkan seorang model memegang berlian Martian Pink di pejabat Christie's di Hong Kong.

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HONG KONG - Sebutir berlian merah jambu, Martian Pink dijual pada harga AS$17.4 juta (RM55 juta) iaitu dua kali ganda melebihi harga anggaran dalam satu lelongan pada minggu ini.

Dikategori sebagai berlian merah jambu berbentuk bulat terbesar yang pernah dilelong, Martian Pink merupakan kemuncak lelongan firma Christies' kelmarin.

Lelongan barangan kemas tersebut berjaya mengutip AS$80 juta (RM253 juta).

"Muncul dalam pasaran buat kali pertama sejak 36 tahun lalu, Martian Pink yang dijual oleh Harry Winston pada 1976 dan mencetuskan sensasi pada pameran di seluruh dunia, dibeli pada harga AS$17.4 juta (RM55 juta) selepas perang bidaan selama 10 minit," kata seorang eksekutif Christie's, Vickie Sek.

Menurutnya, berlian tersebut dibeli oleh seorang pembeli misteri. - AFP

It Mouss be love

TUG OF WAR ... Moussa Dembele

Exclusive

By SHAUN CUSTIS

Published: 30th May 2012

CHELSEA are ready to make a move for Fulham’s £10million-rated striker Moussa Dembele.

And it means Dembele could join his Belgian team-mate Eden Hazard at Stamford Bridge.

Fulham had been hoping to keep Dembele, 24, who has successfully switched from a midfield role.

But he has only one year left on his contract and is not ready to agree a new deal as he is well aware of interest from the big clubs.

Manchester United are also keeping tabs on Dembele and could challenge Chelsea if they make a firm offer.

Fulham are already set to lose two more stars over the summer — striker Andy Johnson and midfielder Clint Dempsey.

Johnson, 31, who is out of contract in June, has battled injury problems and his agent, Anthony McFarlane, has hinted at a move to the lucrative United Arab Emirates league.

Top scorer Dempsey, 29, is a target for Arsenal and United.

The USA star said: “The transfer window is open until August 31. It’s no secret I would like to play Champions League one day in my career.”