MARCUS RASHFORD has come out AGAINST the European Super League on social media.
The Man Utd star becomes the biggest name player from one of the 12 participating clubs to condemn the plans backed by the Red Devils owners.
Meanwhile Premier League clubs are considering EXPELLING United and the other five clubs who signed up to the new competition.
Stay up to date with our blog, below, for all the latest from Old Trafford…
HOW THE PROPOSED ESL WILL WORK
ICYMI
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has reportedly called an emergency meeting between all Premier League captains.
The Mail reports the England midfielder has taken the action as the fall-out from the breakaway Super League continues.
The 30-year-old will chair meeting with club reps from sides in and out of the breakaway.
Henderson previously helped lead players in their response to the crisis caused by the pandemic.
MORE ON LEVY
Another club boss added: “Daniel can paint himself as a victim but nobody was buying that at all. It’s too late for that.”
Richard Masters and the Prem leadership, as well as the clubs outside the Big Six, were left bolstered by a firm vow from PM Boris Johnson that he will bring in urgent legislation that would prevent the Six from joining the £4.6billion scheme.
That meeting involved representatives of Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester United supporters’ trusts and the Football Supporters Association, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham, as well as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden.
Johnson is understood to have made it abundantly clear to the meeting that he would simply not allow the breakaway to take place.
WHO ARE YA?
Manchester United are owned by the Glazers but who are the other people behind the breakaway Super League.
‘VIGOROUSLY REJECT PLANS’
The Premier League have released a statement announcing all 14 clubs ‘unanimously and vigorously rejected the plans’ for the European Super League.
A crisis meeting was held this morning with all top-flight clubs except the ‘big six’ who want to form a breakaway league. And the Prem reassured everything in their power will be done to prevent the plans from going ahead.
It adds how they will also hold shareholders to account for their role in the farce while hinting at bans.
The statement read: “The Premier League, alongside The FA, met with clubs today to discuss the immediate implications of the Super League proposal.
“The 14 clubs at the meeting unanimously and vigorously rejected the plans for the competition.
“The Premier League is considering all actions available to prevent it from progressing, as well as holding those Shareholders involved to account under its rules.
“The League will continue to work with key stakeholders including fan groups, Government, UEFA, The FA, EFL, PFA and LMA to protect the best interests of the game and call on those clubs involved in the proposed competition to cease their involvement immediately.
“The Premier League would like to thank fans and all stakeholders for the support they have shown this week on this significant issue.The reaction proves just how much our open pyramid and football community means to people.”
MARC MY WORDS
Marcus Rashford has tweeted a powerful image of the Old Trafford stands showing a banner with the Matt Busby quote: “Football is nothing without fans.”
The England man shared the photo in the wake of the hugely controversial Super League breakaway with Manchester United one of the ‘founders’.
CON JOB
Manchester United fan Connor Kennedy showed his fury at the club joining the league outside Old Trafford.
Credit: PA BACK INVOLVED
Eric Bailly is back in Manchester United training after testing positive Covid-19.
CANT BELIEVE IT
Eric Cantona has had his say on the Super League – power to the fans!
FANS FIRST
Boris Johnson today held a crisis summit with football bosses over the European Super League and backed Prem bosses to kick out the ‘Big Six’ if they want to.
The PM vowed not to stand by “while a small handful of owners create a closed shop” and promised to back fans all the way.
PM vowed to do all he could to stop it from going ahead in a meeting with top footie bosses.
Downing Street said today the PM “expressed his solidarity with football fans and agreed they must always be at the heart of any decisions about the future of the game.”
They added: “He reiterated his unwavering support for the football authorities and confirmed they have the government’s full backing to take whatever action necessary to put a stop to these plans.
“All attendees agreed that action was necessary to protect the fairness and open competition we expect to see in football, and to uphold the fundamental principle that any club should have the chance to play and win against the biggest players in the game.
“The Prime Minister confirmed the government will not stand by while a small handful of owners create a closed shop.
“He was clear that no action is off the table and the government is exploring every possibility, including legislative options, to ensure these proposals are stopped.”
TIME TO CHANGE YOUR MIND
Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin today made a personal plea to the Prem Big Six to admit to their “mistake” and recant the decision to sign up to a breakaway Super League.
In a remarkable direct statement to Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs, United and City, Ceferin’s address to the Uefa Congress in Montreux urged the six to reflect on the damage they were on the verge of dealing to English and world football and to the fans who “bleed themselves dry” for their clubs.
Ceferin, who branded the owners of the rebel 12 as turning their backs on the heritage and integrity of football, recognises Real Madrid and Juventus are now too far gone to come back into the fold.
But while Liverpool and United were the two English ringleaders, the Slovenian clearly feels an emotional appeal could yet bring a U-turn.
Ceferin said: “I would like to address the owners of some English clubs.
“Gentlemen, you have made a huge mistake. Some will say it is greed, others disdain, arrogance, flippancy or complete ignorance of England’s football culture. Actually, it doesn’t matter.
“What matters is that there is still time to change your mind. Everyone makes mistakes in life. English fans deserve to have you correct your mistake. They deserve respect.”
Credit: Reuters BECK OFF BILLIONAIRES
David Beckham has lashed out at European Super League plans and blasted: “Football is in danger.”
Former Manchester United star Becks took to Instagram to demand the game we love is protected.
Inter Miami owner David Beckham spoke out on the Super League The 45-year-old wrote on his Instagram: “I’m someone who loves football.
“It has been my life for as long as I can remember. I loved it from when I was a young child as a fan, and I’m still a fan now.
“As a player and now as an owner I know that our sport is nothing without the fans. We need football to be for everyone. We need football to be fair and we need competitions based on merit.
“Unless we protect these values the game we love is in danger…”
SUPER LEAGUE LATEST
Cracks are ‘starting to appear’ in the European Super League plans with two Premier League clubs ‘losing nerve’ after the furious fan backlash.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have cancelled an all-staff meeting scheduled for Tuesday to explain the club’s ESL plans.
The Reds were joined by Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and the two Manchester clubs signing up for the new closed-shop breakaway franchise.
As founding members, they would be guaranteed involvement every season for 23 years with huge financial gain while abandoning the English game.
The remaining ‘angry and dismayed’ 14 Premier League clubs are meeting today to discuss how to deal with the other six – and could even order them to quit the division.
And now, according to the Daily Mail, seeds of doubt are creeping in with two of the six top-flight English rebels ‘close to losing their nerve’.
It is thought their support of the proposed ESL is ‘wavering’ – although it is unclear whether that will mean a U-turn in their plans.
GARY ON THE CHARGE
Gary Neville is continuing his call for people to pressurise the breakaway Big Six.
WAYNE’S WORLD
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney called on fans to not ‘jump the gun’ on the breakaway Super League.
SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED
Manchester United can’t leave the breakaway Super League even if they change their mind, according to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
The Super League’s chairman told El Chiringuito: “The contract of the Super League is binding.
“Nobody can leave, we will work all together.
“All the clubs signed the contracts last Saturday, there’s no problem.”
YOUS PLEASE
Manchester United and Liverpool have entered the race sign Sevilla forward Youssef En-Nesyri this summer, according to reports.
But West Ham remain in the driving seat to secure the Moroccan’s signature.
The Red Devils are in the running for Sevilla’s Youssef En-NesyriCredit: Alamy The Hammers tried to sign En-Nesyri to replace Sebastian Haller in January but their £26.7million bid was knocked back.
David Moyes’ side remain keen on the 23-year-old, and are expected to up their offer at the end of the season.
But, according to Estadio Deportivo, Man United and Liverpool see the striker as a potential alternative to the in-demand Erling Haaland.
Sevilla are rumoured to be willing to let go of their leading goalscorer for around £40m, despite efforts to renew his contract – although his current deal does still have four years left to run.
RAPH RACE
United are set to face off with Chelsea in the race for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane, according to reports.
The Frenchman, 27, could ask to leave the Bernabeu this summer ahead of his contract expiring in 2022.
Real would not want to lose their man on a free in a year’s time and are said to favour cashing in if he won’t sign a new contract.
That has opened the door for Chelsea and United in their quest to bolster their defence.
It had previously been suggested in the Spanish media that Varane was edging towards Old Trafford.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is thought to have made a new partner for Harry Maguire his transfer priority.
EF-HELL
The ‘Big Six’ claim they do not just want to sail off into the Super League sunset and sink the rest.
But irrespective of their motives and the post-Covid financial squeeze, the consequences for those left behind will be immense.
As Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and United turn their backs on Uefa and join the money hunt they will:
As Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City and United turn their backs on Uefa and join the money hunt they will:
- Cause a £35million-per-club drop in Premier League TV revenues — even if they stay in the top flight
- See that figure drop by more than double if they are banned from playing in the Prem
- Render the league’s “top-four” race redundant
- Smash a huge hole in the potential value of top-flight clubs
- Make clubs ponder whether stadium expansion or rebuilding plans have any real merit
- See a huge knock-on impact on the Championship, where many clubs are already on the brink
- And bring the very existence of clubs in Leagues One and Two under real and genuine threat — despite promises of a huge cash windfall.
TROY DEENEY SPEAKS OUT ABOUT THE ESL
In an exclusive column with The Sun, Deeney writes: “In my heart of hearts, I believe — and I hope — that a breakaway European Super League will not happen.
“But the threat is real and the questions, for footballers as well fans, are endless. Will Watford be promoted into a Premier League without the Big Six next season?
“Will we ever see another story as inspiring as Jamie Vardy’s, who rose from non-league to Leicester, where he won promotion, won the Premier League and played in the Champions League?
“Will Harry Kane have to choose between playing Super League football with Tottenham or breaking the England goalscoring record because players from the proposed “rebel” league will have been banned from the international game?
“There are a million more questions — but one thing we know for certain is the owners of English football’s Big Six do not care too much about their own loyal match-going supporters.
“Because fans of the breakaway clubs hate the idea of ruining football’s pyramid system as much as anyone else.The vast majority do not want a breakaway league.”
READY TROY DEENEY’S FULL COLUMN HERE
LIONS IN WAIT
England’s starting XI at the World Cup in 2022 without ‘Big Six’ stars could see some fan-favourite players getting their chance.
Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs have signed up to a 20-team breakaway European Super League.
The Premier League’s so-called ‘Big Six’ are joined by Spanish trio Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Italian sides Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus.
But Uefa and Fifa have threatened ESL players they will be BANNED from representing their national teams.
And while that may rule out many of Gareth Southgate’s top players including Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire, plenty of others would be ready to jump at the chance to represent the Three Lions in Qatar next winter.
Here SunSport names an 11 who WOULD be eligible to play.
NEVILLE HITS BACK
In response to Klopp, he said: “I don’t know what spiked him. Yesterday was a passionate rant from me to defend football.
“I’ve equally distributed enough criticism to both Manchester United and Liverpool over the last 24 hours. So I don’t know what his problem is.
“He talks about hotseat, I had a 25-year career at Manchester United, an 11-year career at Sky and I’ve earned that.
“I didn’t go where the most money is. I didn’t have choices. Sir Alex Ferguson didn’t say ‘do you want to stay here every single day?’.
“I have no idea what he’s talking about. I employ 600 people in my city. I’ve tried to keep them employed during a pandemic.
“Is that not a hot enough seat for him?”
JUR JOKING
Jurgen Klopp fired a shot at Garry Neville after the Manchester United legend referenced Liverpool’s ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ anthem when spouting his rage at the proposed European Super League.
But Klopp responded: “Gary Neville talks about ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’, that should be forbidden to be honest.
“We have a lot of rights to sing that anthem and it’s our anthem, not his anthem. He doesn’t understand it anyway so I really don’t want these things because it’s not fair.
“All the talk is around and I don’t like it as well, but I don’t talk about other clubs like this. We can be emotional but I wish Gary Neville would be in a hot seat somewhere, not where the most money is.
“Whether it’s at Man United where the most money is, Sky where the most money is. Don’t forget that we have nothing to do with it.
“We are in the same situation as you all, we got information and we still had to play football and you deal with us already like this. That’s really not OK.”
LEED THE WAY
Leeds trolled Liverpool after their 1-1 draw by refusing to refer to their club name.
The English champions are one of the six Premier League clubs pushing ahead in the proposed European Super League.
In response, Leeds referred to them simply as – Merseyside Red – very similar to the name given to them on the video game Pro Evolution Soccer.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
