Liverpool set for windfall as Premier League 'saves $131m' ahead of richest game in football

All eyes will be on the Premier League final day this weekend as Manchester City and Arsenal battle it out for the title. But the richest game in English football will actually take place at Wembley next Sunday.

Southampton has secured its place in the Championship final with a 3-1 victory over West Brom and will now take on Leeds for a place in the Premier League. Daniel Farke's side swept Norwich aside at Elland Road on Thursday night.

It means that at least two of the sides relegated from the top-flight last season will return at the first attempt, with Leicester having won the Championship this season.

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Ipswich has secured successive promotions under Kieran McKenna but the line-up of the Wembley play-off final is good news for Liverpool and the rest of the Premier League,

When clubs drop down to the Championship, they receive a series of 'parachute payments' which are used to help them adapt to life outside of the Premier League with less revenue and TV money. These payments are made for up to three years and have been worth around $38m (£30m/€35m) per year in recent years.

The EFL wants to abolish the current system and believes it gives teams an unfair advantage at the top. That idea has been proven this season with Leicester, Leeds and Southampton all finishing in the top four. West Brom ended the campaign in fifth, eight points off the Saints and 22 behind champions Leicester.

Yet the Premier League has other ideas and clubs are set to benefit from at least two of those three sides securing immediate returns. According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, the Premier League will save around $131m (£103m/€120m) in payments to Leicester, and whoever wins the play-off final. He adds that money will then be split between next season's 20 top flight clubs, including Liverpool.

While that money will money will hardly be enough to add to Liverpool's transfer kitty, it will certainly be welcome by other Premier League sides. Yet such payments continue to cause friction with the EFL and strengthen the argument for a regulator to be introduced in English football.

The winner of next weekend's Wembley final could benefit from as much as $337m (£265m/€309m), should it stay in the Premier League over a five-year period. One of Leeds or Southampton is going to be right in the money.