Rooney tops English Premier League wealth list

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney is the richest player in the Premier League with a fortune estimated at 51 million pounds ($79.01 million), according to the Sunday Times newspaper's sporting rich list.

Twenty-four Premier League players are among the top 100 richest sportsmen in Britain and Ireland.

Rooney's fortune has risen by six million pounds from 2012 and his combined wealth with wife Coleen is estimated at 64 million pounds.

United team mate Rio Ferdinand is ranked second on 42 million pounds while Stoke City striker Michael Owen is third on 38 million.

Values are based on identifiable wealth including land, property, assets including art and race horses, and shares in publicly quoted companies.

Former England captain David Beckham, now playing for Paris St Germain, is ranked 11th in the Sunday Times world sporting rich list with a worth of 165 million pounds.

World number one golfer Tiger Woods is top of that chart on 570 million pounds.