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Kieran Maguire shares instant verdict after £8.2m Arsenal payout confirmed
It was ‘critical’ for Arsenal to reach the Champions League knockout stage as it will significantly increase their prize money.
That is the view of finance expert Kieran Maguire, who exclusively told Football Insider that Arsenal will benefit financially this season and in future seasons thanks to the coefficient rankings.
The Gunners sealed the top spot of Group B with a dominant 6-0 win over Lens on Wednesday evening, securing their spot in the knockout stages.
As per Uefa’s distribution model, reaching the round of 16 added £8.2million to Arsenal’s prize fund, while each of their wins in the group stage were worth an extra £2.4million.
On top of the prize money, progression in Europe awards Arsenal coefficient points that will increase their position in Uefa’s coefficient table – the Gunners currently rank 23rd.
Maguire explains that reaching the knockout stages will have a huge financial benefit both this season and in future competitions.
“Arsenal qualifying for the knockout stages of the Champions League is huge on many levels,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“First of all it improves their Uefa coefficient, and currently they are ranked 23rd in Europe due to their non-participation in Europe in recent years.
“This impacts how much money they get, with each place in the ranking worth about £1million for all 32 teams.
“That is increasing to 36 next year too so it is increasingly important.
“It’s also important for Arsenal to win matches in the tournament as each win is worth around £2.4million.
“If they continue to win, that extra cash can easily make the difference in contract negotiations or with a new signing.“
In other news, Arsenal star Takehiro Tomiyasu set for hike on £55,000-a-week deal