Premier League clubs posted record profits last season thanks to strong broadcast revenues and Financial Fair Play rules keeping wage inflation under control, Deloitte has announced.
According to analysis of the clubs' accounts for the 2016/17 season by Deloitte's Sports Business Group, the Premier League made a collective pre-tax profit of £0.5billion, almost three times the previous record of £0.2billion in 2013/14.
The clubs also generated a record operating profit - total revenues minus wages and other business costs, apart from transfer fees - of £1billion, double the figure for the previous season.
Wages did rise across the league by nine per cent to a new record of £2.