NEW YORK (AP)

MONEY LIST

You’ll be amazed by how much money the world’s biggest clubs make. Check out the top 20.

Manchester United is the most valuable franchise in sports at $2.23 billion, according to Forbes magazine’s annual survey.

The Barclays Premier League team, owned by the same American family that owns the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is ranked on top thanks to lucrative global sponsorship deals.

Second is another soccer team, Real Madrid, at $1.88 billion. The New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys are tied for third at $1.85 billion.

Rounding out the top five are the Washington Redskins at $1.56 billion.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New England Patriots [team stats] are tied for sixth at $1.40 billion, followed by FC Barcelona at $1.31 billion, the New York Giants at $1.30 billion, and Arsenal at 1.29 billion. The Dodgers recently were sold for $2 billion, the most for any professional sports team.

All 32 NFL teams make the list of 50 most valuable franchises, with the Jacksonville Jaguars last among the pro football clubs at $725 million.

Seven major league baseball teams earned spots, with the Texas Rangers the lowest at $674 million, No. 50 overall.

The highest value for an NBA team belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers at $900 million, 35th overall. Only one other NBA franchise, the New York Knicks, make the list with $780 million, No. 43.

No NHL clubs made the survey, but two from Formula One racing were included: Ferrari at $1.1 billion to rank 15th, and McLaren at $800 million.

(Reuters) – English soccer club Manchester United retained their title as the world’s most valuable sports team, according to an annual top 50 list released by Forbes on Monday that was dominated by National Football League (NFL) franchises.

The 19-times English champions, who are preparing for a listing on the New York Stock Exchange, were valued at $2.23 billion, up from $1.86 billion last year and 19 percent above No. 2 Real Madrid ($1.88 billion).

All 32 NFL franchises made the top 50 list with the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots and Super Bowl champion New York Giants all securing spots in the top 10.

The only teams in the top 10 that do not play soccer or American football were Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees, who were tied at third with the Cowboys, and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were tied with the Patriots at No. 6.

The top 50 list included seven soccer teams, with Arsenal falling three places to 10th overall and Barcelona rising 18 spots to eighth.

Ferrari was the top motor racing team, listed at 15th, while the New York Knicks, in 43rd place, were the lone National Basketball Association franchise to make the list.

Forbes Top 10 teams:

1. Manchester United (soccer) – $2.23 billion

2. Real Madrid (soccer) – $1.88 billion

3. New York Yankees (MLB) – $1.85 billion

3. Dallas Cowboys (NFL) – $1.85 billion

5. Washington Redskins (NFL) – $1.56 billion

6. Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) – $1.40 billion

6. New England Patriots (NFL) – $1.40 billion

8. Barcelona (soccer) – $1.31 billion

9. New York Giants (NFL) – $1.30 billion

10. Arsenal (soccer) – $1.29 billion

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Manchester United could well be out of the race for Brazilian sensation and transfer target Lucas Moura with the price placed on the youngster believed to be too high for the Red Devils.

Sir Alex Ferguson had made the 19-year-old one of the club’s top targets for the transfer window—sending a delegation party to Brazil to try and wrap up a deal with him in order for him to join United in time for the upcoming English Premier League season.

However, Moura’s current club, Sao Paulo, are determined to hold on to the midfielder. The Daily Mail has reported that the club will do all they can to keep him for next season.

Per Sky Sports:

“It is a risk not selling Lucas, but we are going to take it…”

With that statement from president Juvenal Juvencio, it appears that only an extraordinary bid is likely to attract interest from the club.

Manchester United would have to go “all-in” if they were to land Moura—something they’re unlikely to do unless Moura himself sacrifices some of his player wages.

Greg Stobart of Goal.com highlights the potential sacrifice from the teenager that could benefit the Red Devils:

Lucas’ club own just 80 per cent of his economic rights – with the player himself holding the remaining 20% – and, should the 19-year-old be willing to forgo his cut of a fee, he could be available for below his market worth.

United, who face stiff competition for the player’s signature from the likes of Inter and Real Madrid, are understood to have made contact with Lucas through third parties but have been put off by his extravagant £110,000-a-week wage demands.

If United were to secure Moura’s services for next season, they would most likely have to offer an amount somewhere in the vicinity of £25 million.

As shown through the recent signing of Eden Hazard to Chelsea, United simply don’t go “all-in” on one player.

I simply cannot see them offering £25 million for a 19-year-old midfielder. They must be incredibly careful not to overpay for a player who’s future is still only based on potential.

He no doubt has talent that would dazzle the Premier League, but he isn’t worth the money required to bring him to Old Trafford next season.

At just 19, he is a player for the future and one of the brightest prospects in world football; I just don’t think he’s worth anything more than £20 million.

Not yet, anyway.

Is Lucas Moura worth spending big for?

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter: Follow @dantalintyre

European soccer clubs—two from England and two from Spain—take up four of the top 10 spots on Forbes’ list of the world’s most valuable sports franchises. The English Premier League’s Manchester United tops the list with a valuation of $2.23 billion, according to Forbes. There’s a 19 percent gap to No. 2 on the list, Spanish club Real Madrid, which is worth $1.88 billion.

Spain’s Barcelona ($1.31 billion) and England’s Arsenal ($1.29 billion), are Nos. 8 and 10, respectively.

The Glazer family, which also owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, took Man U private in a leveraged buyout worth $1.47 billion in 2005, but plans an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, Forbes notes. The Glazers will maintain control of the club’s operations.

Four NFL teams are in the top ten, while the New York Yankees, worth $1.85 billion, are tied for No. 3, and the L.A. Dodgers, bought recently by a group led by Magic Johnson, are tied for No. 6.

Here’s the top 10:

No. 1 Manchester United ($2.23 billion)

No. 2 Real Madrid ($1.88 billion)

No. 3 New York Yankees ($1.85 billion)

No. 3 Dallas Cowboys ($1.85 billion)

No. 5 Washington Redskins ($1.56 billion)

No. 6 Los Angeles Dodgers ($1.4 billion)

No. 6 New England Patriots ($1.4 billion)

No. 8 Barcelona ($1.31 billion)

No. 9 New York Giants ($1.3 billion)

No. 10 Arsenal ($1.29 billion)

Manchester United lost the Premier League title on the last day of the season in heartbreaking fashion, when rival Manchester City scored a last-minute goal to defeat Queens Park Rangers and clinch its first title ever in May. Man City’s win prevented Manchester United from winning a second straight Premier League title–and record 20th overall–disappointing the team’s 659 million fans around the world.

The Red Devils still lay claim to another title, though: The world’s most valuable sports team. Forbes estimates Manchester United is now worth $2.23 billion, 19% more than No. 2 Real Madrid, which is worth $1.88 billion.

In Pictures: The World’s 50 Most Valuable Sports Teams

Manchester United fans will once again get a chance to own a piece of the iconic club as the Glazer family filed plans this month for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. The Glazers took the club private in 2005 in a leveraged buyout worth $1.47 billion. (The team traded on the London Stock Exchange before then.)

Don’t expect to be picking the next manager if you buy shares. The Glazers intend to keep control of the club through a dual-class share structure, where the Glazers’ shares will be worth 10 votes apiece, while the public gets one vote for each share. Dual-class shares are unusual, but a number of high-profile companies, including Facebook, LinkedIn and The New York Times, use them to retain control at the top while they sell ownership stakes to the public. With the offering, the team can reduce its hefty debt load, which stood at $663 million as of March.

Manchester United has a host of lucrative sponsorships in place. Insurer Aon pays $31 million a year to put its name on the team’s jerseys in a deal that runs through 2014. Last year, DHL Express inked a four-year deal with the club worth a reported $62 million to sponsor Manchester United’s practice jerseys. It is the first case of a practice jersey sponsorship deal for soccer in the U.K. Nike manages the team’s merchandise sales and the agreement is worth a minimum of $39 million annually for Manchester United based on overall sales in a deal through 2015.

Soccer clubs hold the top two spots among the world’s most valuable franchises, but it is American football teams that dominate the rest of the top 50. All 32 NFL teams made the cut, led by the Dallas Cowboys, worth $1.85 billion, tied with the New York Yankees for third overall. The Cowboys are the kings of the NFL thanks to their $1.2 billion stadium, which generates more than $100 million annually from premium seating and nearly $60 million from sponsors like ATT, Bank of America, Ford Motor and PepsiCo.

The future looks even brighter for NFL teams thanks to a new labor agreement, as well as a new round of TV contracts. The league and its players endured a four-month lockout last year, but no regular season games were lost. The new collective bargaining agreement ensures labor peace for 10 years and gives owners a bigger piece of the pie, as players settled for a salary cap based on 48% of total revenues versus roughly 54% in previous years.

The NFL inked extensions to its TV deals with CBS, ESPN, Fox and NBC last year. The nine-year deals (ESPN is for eight years) start with the 2014 season and are worth $5 billion a year collectively, a 62% bump on the prior contracts. The average NFL team is worth $1.04 billion.

Major League Baseball landed seven teams on the list (same as soccer), led by the Yankees. As Forbes pointed out in a cover story earlier this year, baseball is flush with TV money thanks to a boom among regional sports networks hungry for content. The Yankees’ YES Network, which is 34% owned by the team, is the most profitable RSN in the U.S. generating more than $200 million in operating income last year. The team is also a cash cow with $330 million in ticket revenue in 2011, including luxury suites. The Red Sox had the next highest gate at $190 million.

Basketball and Formula 1 both placed two teams among the 50 most valuable franchises. The Los Angeles Lakers jumped 13 spots and are now ranked No. 35 with a value of $900 million, up 40% from last year. As with baseball, revenue growth is tied to TV. The Lakers struck a deal with Time Warner Cable beginning with the 2012-13 season valued at an average of $200 million a year, compared to $35 million under their old agreement. Time Warner will show games on two regional sports channels, one in English and one in Spanish. The Lakers have by far the biggest audience on TV, averaging 258,000 households on Fox Sports West last year.

F1 powerhouse, Ferrari, ranks No. 15 with a value of $1.1 billion, up 3% from last year. Ferrari extended its $52 million-a-year sponsorship deal this year with Spanish bank Santander. This follows Ferrari’s blockbuster extension last year with sponsor Marlboro worth as much as $500 million over three years. McLaren’s value fell 2% this year to $800 million as main backer Vodafone is reviewing its sports sponsorship commitments. McLaren would be hard pressed to replace Vodafone at comparable levels. McLaren also faces the free agency of Lewis Hamilton, who is one of the most marketable drivers in the sport. Hamilton’s contract expires at the end of 2012.

The List:

#1 Manchester United ($2.23 billion)

#2 Real Madrid ($1.88 billion)

#3 New York Yankees ($1.85 billion)

#3 Dallas Cowboys ($1.85 billion)

#5 Washington Redskins ($1.56 billion)

#6 Los Angeles Dodgers ($1.4 billion)

#6 New England Patriots ($1.4 billion)

#8 Barcelona ($1.31 billion)

#9 New York Giants ($1.3 billion)

#10 Arsenal ($1.29 billion)

Click here to see more of the Most Valuable Sports Teams

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Manchester United could well be out of the race for Brazilian sensation and transfer target Lucas Moura with the price placed on the youngster believed to be too high for the Red Devils.

Sir Alex Ferguson had made the 19-year-old one of the club’s top targets for the transfer window—sending a delegation party to Brazil to try and wrap up a deal with him in order for him to join United in time for the upcoming English Premier League season.

However, Moura’s current club, Sao Paulo, are determined to hold on to the midfielder. The Daily Mail has reported that the club will do all they can to keep him for next season.

Per Sky Sports:

“It is a risk not selling Lucas, but we are going to take it…”

With that statement from president Juvenal Juvencio, it appears that only an extraordinary bid is likely to attract interest from the club.

Manchester United would have to go “all-in” if they were to land Moura—something they’re unlikely to do unless Moura himself sacrifices some of his player wages.

Greg Stobart of Goal.com highlights the potential sacrifice from the teenager that could benefit the Red Devils:

Lucas’ club own just 80 per cent of his economic rights – with the player himself holding the remaining 20% – and, should the 19-year-old be willing to forgo his cut of a fee, he could be available for below his market worth.

United, who face stiff competition for the player’s signature from the likes of Inter and Real Madrid, are understood to have made contact with Lucas through third parties but have been put off by his extravagant £110,000-a-week wage demands.

If United were to secure Moura’s services for next season, they would most likely have to offer an amount somewhere in the vicinity of £25 million.

As shown through the recent signing of Eden Hazard to Chelsea, United simply don’t go “all-in” on one player.

I simply cannot see them offering £25 million for a 19-year-old midfielder. They must be incredibly careful not to overpay for a player who’s future is still only based on potential.

He no doubt has talent that would dazzle the Premier League, but he isn’t worth the money required to bring him to Old Trafford next season.

At just 19, he is a player for the future and one of the brightest prospects in world football; I just don’t think he’s worth anything more than £20 million.

Not yet, anyway.

Is Lucas Moura worth spending big for?

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter: Follow @dantalintyre

Manchester City win Premier League title in thrilling finale

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Darren Fletcher’s career is in the balance due to a chronic bowel problem, although the Manchester United manager said that should the midfielder be forced to retire, he will be offered a position with the Old Trafford club. Fletcher, who is 27, last featured for United in a Champions League match against Benfica in late November and has not trained since.

“He has obviously got great challenges ahead,” Ferguson said. “We are happy to be patient but he won’t be starting the season. It is unfortunate because he is such a magnificent professional and such a nice lad. If it doesn’t work for him, he knows he has a position at the club anyway.”

Fletcher has become one of Ferguson’s more important players. He made his debut for the club in 2003 and has started in 164 Premier League matches.

Ferguson, who refused to take any questions on the Glazers’ flotation of United on the New York stock exchange, was speaking at a media conference to unveil his summer transfers, Shinji Kagawa, the £12m signing from Borussia Dortmund, and Nick Powell who cost £4m from Crewe.

Regarding any further recruitment, United’s manager said: “It’s possible we could bring in one or maybe two more. Where we’ve always done well in terms of getting players at the end of the season. We always feel that it’s the right time. We don’t have to wait the whole summer. In a European Championship or World Cup year there is a delay in the transfer industry. That is over now and we are still trying to get one more in.”

Of Kagawa, who scored 19 goals in all competitions for Dortmund last season, Ferguson said: “He plays in behind the striker, he’s very quick, and he’s got good vision. His goalscoring record over the last two years has been very good from that position.

“It was good that he was with a successful team to allow him to adapt to European football. He’s a maturing player and in the next few years we’ll see that at United. It’s a good time for him to come to us.”

Ferguson often played a 4-4-1-1 in the Premier League or a 4-5-1 in Europe. So would Kagawa’s presence mean United will adjust their style? “We shouldn’t be looking at one player changing the way we play but he could make a difference,” the Scot said. “He can give us that bit extra in the final third of the field. If his goalscoring record continues he could be a very good player for us. We expect that [he will be exciting]. He’ll go on the [pre-season] tour and that gives him an opportunity to get to know the players and acclimatise to the way we are. Also there’s the issue of the language. I’m sure over the next few months he’ll improve his English.”

Ferguson added that United had been watching Kagawa since last autumn. “We have a scout in Germany and he recommended him at the end of October,” the manager said. “He had a good season the year before [when joining from Japan's Cerezo Osaka]. But sometimes when a player goes into a new league the first season is new for him, the second season is a better test.”

Kagawa is clear that he can handle playing for United. “I definitely feel the attention of the media globally now I’m a member of a great club like Manchester United. But I think I can take the pressure. I’m pretty confident I can adapt to the Premier League style,” the 23-year-old said.

Ferguson added that he views Powell, 18, as a central operator. “Although Crewe played him as a forward or behind the striker we see him as a central midfield player. Hopefully we’ll see that progress.”

Powell said: “It’s a whole different world. At Crewe it’s one camera and one person, Manchester United is the whole world. So from Crewe to United is the biggest step.

“The players have been fantastic. Everyone speculates about the big-time and stuff like that but they’ve all been very nice and welcoming. I’ve still got a lot to develop and coming to Manchester United will help that, but I’m not near my best.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Darren Fletcher’s career is in the balance due to a chronic bowel problem, although the Manchester United manager said that should the midfielder be forced to retire, he will be offered a position with the Old Trafford club. Fletcher, who is 27, last featured for United in a Champions League match against Benfica in late November and has not trained since.

“He has obviously got great challenges ahead,” Ferguson said. “We are happy to be patient but he won’t be starting the season. It is unfortunate because he is such a magnificent professional and such a nice lad. If it doesn’t work for him, he knows he has a position at the club anyway.”

Fletcher has become one of Ferguson’s more important players. He made his debut for the club in 2003 and has started in 164 Premier League matches.

Ferguson, who refused to take any questions on the Glazers’ flotation of United on the New York stock exchange, was speaking at a media conference to unveil his summer transfers, Shinji Kagawa, the £12m signing from Borussia Dortmund, and Nick Powell who cost £4m from Crewe.

Regarding any further recruitment, United’s manager said: “It’s possible we could bring in one or maybe two more. Where we’ve always done well in terms of getting players at the end of the season. We always feel that it’s the right time. We don’t have to wait the whole summer. In a European Championship or World Cup year there is a delay in the transfer industry. That is over now and we are still trying to get one more in.”

Of Kagawa, who scored 19 goals in all competitions for Dortmund last season, Ferguson said: “He plays in behind the striker, he’s very quick, and he’s got good vision. His goalscoring record over the last two years has been very good from that position.

“It was good that he was with a successful team to allow him to adapt to European football. He’s a maturing player and in the next few years we’ll see that at United. It’s a good time for him to come to us.”

Ferguson often played a 4-4-1-1 in the Premier League or a 4-5-1 in Europe. So would Kagawa’s presence mean United will adjust their style? “We shouldn’t be looking at one player changing the way we play but he could make a difference,” the Scot said. “He can give us that bit extra in the final third of the field. If his goalscoring record continues he could be a very good player for us. We expect that [he will be exciting]. He’ll go on the [pre-season] tour and that gives him an opportunity to get to know the players and acclimatise to the way we are. Also there’s the issue of the language. I’m sure over the next few months he’ll improve his English.”

Ferguson added that United had been watching Kagawa since last autumn. “We have a scout in Germany and he recommended him at the end of October,” the manager said. “He had a good season the year before [when joining from Japan's Cerezo Osaka]. But sometimes when a player goes into a new league the first season is new for him, the second season is a better test.”

Kagawa is clear that he can handle playing for United. “I definitely feel the attention of the media globally now I’m a member of a great club like Manchester United. But I think I can take the pressure. I’m pretty confident I can adapt to the Premier League style,” the 23-year-old said.

Ferguson added that he views Powell, 18, as a central operator. “Although Crewe played him as a forward or behind the striker we see him as a central midfield player. Hopefully we’ll see that progress.”

Powell said: “It’s a whole different world. At Crewe it’s one camera and one person, Manchester United is the whole world. So from Crewe to United is the biggest step.

“The players have been fantastic. Everyone speculates about the big-time and stuff like that but they’ve all been very nice and welcoming. I’ve still got a lot to develop and coming to Manchester United will help that, but I’m not near my best.”

Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted that Darren Fletcher’s career is in the balance due to a chronic bowel problem, although the Manchester United manager said that should the midfielder be forced to retire, he will be offered a position with the Old Trafford club. Fletcher, who is 27, last featured for United in a Champions League match against Benfica in late November and has not trained since.

“He has obviously got great challenges ahead,” Ferguson said. “We are happy to be patient but he won’t be starting the season. It is unfortunate because he is such a magnificent professional and such a nice lad. If it doesn’t work for him, he knows he has a position at the club anyway.”

Fletcher has become one of Ferguson’s more important players. He made his debut for the club in 2003 and has started in 164 Premier League matches.

Ferguson, who refused to take any questions on the Glazers’ flotation of United on the New York stock exchange, was speaking at a media conference to unveil his summer transfers, Shinji Kagawa, the £12m signing from Borussia Dortmund, and Nick Powell who cost £4m from Crewe.

Regarding any further recruitment, United’s manager said: “It’s possible we could bring in one or maybe two more. Where we’ve always done well in terms of getting players at the end of the season. We always feel that it’s the right time. We don’t have to wait the whole summer. In a European Championship or World Cup year there is a delay in the transfer industry. That is over now and we are still trying to get one more in.”

Of Kagawa, who scored 19 goals in all competitions for Dortmund last season, Ferguson said: “He plays in behind the striker, he’s very quick, and he’s got good vision. His goalscoring record over the last two years has been very good from that position.

“It was good that he was with a successful team to allow him to adapt to European football. He’s a maturing player and in the next few years we’ll see that at United. It’s a good time for him to come to us.”

Ferguson often played a 4-4-1-1 in the Premier League or a 4-5-1 in Europe. So would Kagawa’s presence mean United will adjust their style? “We shouldn’t be looking at one player changing the way we play but he could make a difference,” the Scot said. “He can give us that bit extra in the final third of the field. If his goalscoring record continues he could be a very good player for us. We expect that [he will be exciting]. He’ll go on the [pre-season] tour and that gives him an opportunity to get to know the players and acclimatise to the way we are. Also there’s the issue of the language. I’m sure over the next few months he’ll improve his English.”

Ferguson added that United had been watching Kagawa since last autumn. “We have a scout in Germany and he recommended him at the end of October,” the manager said. “He had a good season the year before [when joining from Japan's Cerezo Osaka]. But sometimes when a player goes into a new league the first season is new for him, the second season is a better test.”

Kagawa is clear that he can handle playing for United. “I definitely feel the attention of the media globally now I’m a member of a great club like Manchester United. But I think I can take the pressure. I’m pretty confident I can adapt to the Premier League style,” the 23-year-old said.

Ferguson added that he views Powell, 18, as a central operator. “Although Crewe played him as a forward or behind the striker we see him as a central midfield player. Hopefully we’ll see that progress.”

Powell said: “It’s a whole different world. At Crewe it’s one camera and one person, Manchester United is the whole world. So from Crewe to United is the biggest step.

“The players have been fantastic. Everyone speculates about the big-time and stuff like that but they’ve all been very nice and welcoming. I’ve still got a lot to develop and coming to Manchester United will help that, but I’m not near my best.”