Kieran Maguire shares potential £100m Rangers boost amid latest financial figures
Rangers could boost their finances significantly next season if they qualify for the Champions League, according to football finance guru Kieran Maguire.
Last week, the Gers announced that last season they suffered a loss of £23.5million with the club’s matchday revenue hit hard due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast, Maguire explained that will the Ibrox board will have next season’s budget based on qualifying for the Europa League, a spot in the Champions League group stages will boost revenue astronomically.
Rangers will qualify automatically for the Champions League’s group stages if they win the Scottish Premiership this season and Maguire has explained how much that can help a club’s financial situation.
He said: “I think this present board are quite cautious in their outlook so they will have budgeted for the Europa League for next season but they will be keeping their fingers crossed they will be proceeding to the Champions League.
“The impact that will have on the club, last season being in the Europa League generated about a quarter of Rangers’ revenues.
“I think if they get to the Champions League, that could easily go up close to half of the total income coming in.
“It could have a sizeable impact.
“We saw Celtic max out at just over £100million of revenue when they were in the Champions League a few years ago. Rangers this year were at £47million, they would normally be around £60million in a non-COVID year.
“It would have a very significant impact, not just from the prize money because it works out that for every pound you get in the Europa League, you’re probably getting around £3.50 in prize money in the Champions League.”
Not all doom and gloom
While Rangers’ performances this season have taken a dip compared to last term when they won the league title without suffering a defeat, the club is still on track to retain the championship.
Of course, a lot can happen between now and the end of the season. Celtic are improving and while we’ve shown better form lately, there’s still the possibility of things going wrong and we don’t know how injuries and luck can affect the team.
Rangers’ financial figures were quite worrying last week.
Not as worrying as those on the other side would make out but worrying enough that someone might have to be sold at the end of the season.
We cannot guarantee Champions League football next season, unfortunately, and the board at Ibrox is fairly realistic and they will make plans with a Europa League budget in mind.
And if that’s the case, we may need to make up around £7.5million by the end of the season.
Selling a player or two could be the best short-term fix.
In other Rangers news, a Sky Sports pundit has slammed this Gers player after he 4-2 win over Ross County.