Newcastle United’s stunning Premier League prize money prediction as Man Utd, West Ham & co lurk

Newcastle United have just six games left to play this season - but there is still plenty to fight for both on and off the field. The Magpies currently sit 6th in the table and are entrenched in a very tight battle to qualify for European football next season.

With Manchester United, West Ham, Chelsea and Brighton all within six points of them, Newcastle know they must end the season well in order to seal European football next season - although recent developments in Europe involving English clubs mean it’s likely they will not be returning to the Champions League next season. With three wins and a draw in their last four outings, Newcastle are back as one of the form teams in the division and will be hoping for a good end to the campaign that will help them realise a European dream that looked like it had slipped between their fingers just a few weeks ago.

Speaking following his side’s exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Manchester City, Eddie Howe batted away claims that they had nothing left to play for: "There's a huge amount to play for," Howe insisted. "If people say our season is over, it's absolute nonsense, as far as I'm concerned. We're trying to get our best form back to try and win."

Qualifying for Europe is of course Newcastle’s main aim between now and their curtain closer at Brentford on May 19, however, there is still one big thing they are playing for - and something that more than ever could have a huge impact on how their future looks: Premier League prize money.

What is Premier League prize money?

Every season Premier League clubs earn prize money from a varied range of sources. Each club earns an ‘equal share’ payment just for participating. This is the same across the division, no matter if a team finishes 1st or 20th.

Each team also earns money from how often they were shown on TV in the United Kingdom and, crucially for Newcastle United and what they can control, merit payments for where they finish in the league table. Last season, the Magpies earned £164.3m in Premier League prize money after finishing 4th in the table.

What could Newcastle United earn this season in prize money?

Exact prize money figures tend not to be released until a few weeks after the season has concluded. However, reports from The I suggest that for every place higher up the league a team finishes, they will earn a predicted £3.1m more in merit payments.

Therefore, the difference between finishing 10th and 6th, for example, could be worth an extra £12.4m to Newcastle United. In a world of PSR and FFP, this could make a huge difference in the transfer market.

Where can Newcastle United finish this season?

With six league games to go, Howe’s side can still finish anywhere between 4th and 14th this season. Based on the expected merit payment figures, the difference between both ends of the scale could be worth around £30m. To illustrate that difference, West Ham, who finished last season in 14th place earned £129m in total prize money, £35.3m less than the Magpies who finished in 4th. Last season’s 6th placed finishers, Brighton, earned £149.7m in prize money.