Liverpool set for £202 million boost as Jurgen Klopp has just solved a 'real problem' for Arne Slot

Liverpool have effectively booked their return to the Champions League.

The Reds might have dropped out of the Premier League title race as their spluttering recent form continued with a 2-2 draw at West Ham United. But the chief aim for Liverpool this term was to ensure that they return to the top four after a lacklustre 2022-23 campaign that saw them finish only fifth - and even that looked unlikely until the final weeks.

The Reds are on 75 points, with fifth-place Tottenham on 60 points. Spurs have five games remaining, including a trip to Anfield on Sunday, but have a worse goal difference of 26 which means it’s almost impossible to catch Liverpool.

As a result, it will mean that Arne Slot - who is set to take over from Jurgen Klopp in the Liverpool hot seat - will inherit a team that's back competing in the Champions League next season.

And the finances involved will boost the Anfield coffers significantly. One campaign out of Europe's elite club competition means that Liverpool's finances will have taken a significant hit. Although the Reds reached the Europa League quarter-finals, they earned around £26.5 million. However, exiting the Champions League last 16 in the 2022-23 campaign netted Liverpool around £50 million.

The Champions League will change format next season, with the number of teams increased from 32 to 36. There will no longer be a group stage and instead one league where teams will play eight different teams rather than facing three opponents home and away. Each outfit that reaches that stage will bank £15.9 million. Teams who finish in the top eight will automatically go into the last 16, while the teams finishing in ninth to 24th place will compete in a two-legged knock-out phase play-off. Each win in the league will be worth £1.8 million, a top-eight finish lands clubs a total of £1.7 million and qualification for the last 16 an extra £9.4 million.

What's more, TV money is set to increase as there will be 64 more matches and Liverpool will also be entitled to funds from the UEFA coefficient, which is 30% of total payment in the Champions League compared to 15% in the Europa League. The Reds will be fifth in the coefficient rankings based on their European performance over the past 10 years. Inter Milan were the fifth-ranked team in this year’s competition and that earned them £17 million, according to football-coefficient.eu. Meanwhile, a third-place finish in the Premier League will also see Liverpool accrue more cash. Per the Premier League's 2022-23 Annual Report, the Reds garnered £162.9 million for finishing fifth. But each place was worth an additional £1.4 million so Liverpool's revenue is set to increase to £165.7 million.

Klopp admitted earlier this month that the Anfield outfit took a marked financial hit by not being in the Champions League. But given how competitive he might not expected the race for the top-four might have been, he’s called it a ‘massive achievement’. Klopp said: “We didn’t qualify for the Champions League last year, that’s financially a real problem for a football club like us.

“So we built a squad to fight for the Champions League again. In the league, there are six or seven teams - Manchester City, Arsenal, Villa, Tottenham made the next step, then not really involved is Manchester United and Chelsea.

“It was clear those teams would be there. Four spots to fight for and we have (put up a fight). And we have. That’s a massive achievement already. That’s the job we have to do. And if you are there, and it’s not a distance too far - you want to fight for everything.”