Liverpool face £17.3m Premier League charge for being CHAMPIONS as broadcasters call in debts after coronavirus crisis

LIVERPOOL face a whacking £17.3million Premier League charge – for being champions.

League chiefs told the 20 clubs last season they faced a £330m collective rebate to broadcasters for 2019-20 as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

And now for the first time the League has unveiled the anticipated costs for the 20 clubs in the top flight last term – and the impact over the next TWO seasons.

Figures published as part of the Prem rulebook for the 2020-21 season outline the anticipated repayments to be demanded from the clubs.

All clubs will pay around 10.7 per cent of the money that would have been due to them.

But with those total pay-outs established by a process involving a basic share plus merit payments for final positions and live TV appearances, the money chart does not entirely mirror the end of season table.

According to the Prem figures, Liverpool’s initial payment of £161.1m will be reduced to £143.8m.

Manchester City, who finished second, will pay back £16.8m of their intended £156.7m for a total of £139.9m.

But Chelsea will end up earning £135.2m, £700,000 more than Manchester United despite finishing a place behind them.

And although Arsenal were eighth last term, extra TV appearances means, even with a £15m rebate charge, they will bank £2.4m more than North London neighbours Spurs and take sixth in the cash pot table.

Liverpool have been handed the biggest Covid-19 rebate billCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Clubs such as Mike Ashley’s Newcastle are handing back in the region of £13millionCredit: PA:Press Association

At the bottom, the relegated trio of Bournemouth, Watford and Norwich fill the last three money slots as well, with the Canaries losing £7.1m to finish with a £88.1m pay-out for their top flight campaign.

Parachute payments to the trio will also be reduced by £2.6m this season and £2.2m next term, with the teams relegated this season also each losing £2.6m in 2021-22.

League bosses have agreed with the clubs that no payments will be due until the end of this season, allowing the 20 “shareholders” extra time to deal with the financial repercussions of the pandemic.

But the League also confirmed that this season’s three promoted clubs – Leeds, West Brom and Fulham – as well as the clubs that come up from the Championship next season, have to EACH lose £8.4m from their first season TV revenues.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk