Manchester United is to unveil a record gross turnover of 245 million pounds (328 million euros, 483 million dollars), a report said Monday, establishing it as one of the world’s richest football clubs.

The Financial Times said the English Premier League champions will on Friday show a 21 percent rise in gross turnover in its financial results to June 30, 2007, up from 202 million pounds in the previous 12 months.

Revenues from its deal with US sportswear firm Nike and income from its broadcasting arm MUTV are included in the figure, but not from merchandising, which is recorded under a wholly-owned subsidiary, it added.

In addition, the Old Trafford club will claim to be supported by a third of a billion people around the world, based on a study of 1,000 people in 21 countries it commissioned from market research firm TNS Sport.

The FT did not give sources for its article but assessed that the announcement would cement the club’s position among world football’s elite on the financial stage.

It said Spain’s Real Madrid remained the world’s richest football club after reporting a 263-million-pound turnover for 2006-7 last September.

The business daily said fellow Premier League side Chelsea would later this month report a turnover of about 200 million pounds.

Source:Soccer News