Manchester United Beat Barca And Real Madrid To Top Forbes List Of Most Valuable Football Team On The Planet With £2.85bn Valuation

What makes Man Utd's rise to the top of the Forbes list more remarkable is that the club has gone up 11 per cent from �2.57bn in 2016, despite not having won the league or Champions League since 2013. 

Chelsea, and Manchester City were among four Premier League sides ranked in the top 50, but Liverpool and Arsenal dropped out of the list.

According to Forbes.com, ''The cutoff to qualify among the world's most valuable sports franchises is higher than ever, up 18% this year to $1.75 billion. There are 36 franchises worth at least $1 billion that did not make the top 50. Credit soaring TV contracts for the rising franchise values, as well as labor deals with players that almost ensure profitability barring outrageous spending on payroll by an owner.''

''No sports league is as profitable as the NFL where the average team earned an operating profit (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $91 million and no one banked less than $26 million. The boffo profits helped 29 NFL teams rank among the 50 most valuable franchises (only the Bengals, Lions and Bills missed the cut). Other sports include eight MLB clubs and seven each from the NBA and European soccer.''

'The Dallas Cowboys lead for the second straight year at $4.2 billion. Jerry Jones' team unseated Real Madrid last year as the most valuable sports team. The Spanish soccer powerhouse had ranked No. 1 for three straight years.''

Tottenham denied that they are in talks to sell the club for £1 billion to Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg.

Tottenham have denied that they are in talks to sell the club for £1 billion to a buyer backed by Facebook owner Mark Zuckerberg.

Reports have suggested that United States company Iconiq Capital are interested in a takeover of the Premier League side. The investment firm manages finances for a number of technology companies in California's famous Silicon Valley, including Facebook founder Zuckerberg.

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However, Spurs have dismissed claims that any takeover talks are being held.

"The club engaged Rothschild to secure the funding for the new stadium," read a statement released by the club, who are in the process of constructing a new stadium at the White Hart Lane site.

"As expected many proposals came forward including bank debt and equity investment. The club announced on May 31 2017 the completion of the bank debt financing for the new stadium with a consortium of banks involving Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited, Goldman Sachs Bank USA and HSBC Bank plc."The board believes this was the optimum solution in the interests of fans, employees and shareholders and for the continued development of the club. The board is not in any discussions relating to a takeover offer for the club."