THE threat of a new European Super League is growing because of football’s financial meltdown across the Continent.
Uefa and league bosses around Europe thought they had headed off attempts to form a breakaway competition made up of the elite clubs last year.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus in sport live blog for the latest news & updates
The likes of Liverpool and Man Utd could be offered billions to join a European Super League
But SunSport understands the vultures are circling again believing there will never be a better time to strike, by tempting the biggest names to ditch their own leagues for a new rebel group.
Private equity and venture capitalist firms are flocking to find a way to get involved in football with their eyes on cashing in on a dramatic change in the make-up of Europe’s professional game.
The prospect of all major leagues having to reset — in terms of finances and their business models — due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has left it wide open for the speculators to get involved.
It is understood there are several groups, backed by nation states with huge funds from the natural commodities markets, looking to bankroll a new venture.
Giants of Europe like Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich would naturally be targeted.
But there is also an interest in the likes of Celtic, Galatasaray, Ajax and even Red Star Belgrade because of their large followings across the world.
One proposal is to have a single league of 20 to 22 of the biggest clubs, without promotion and relegation. And the other option is two divisions of 16 teams.
They would be willing to dangle BILLIONS in front of club bosses in an attempt to form the new alliance.
And with the top stars in the game all involved, those keen to advance the Super League feel they would attract vast broadcasting deals.
An insider told SunSport: “Football across Europe is set for a major change — leagues and clubs have maxed things out when it comes to TV deals, matchday revenue, sponsorship and marketing.
“That has come at a time when the bottom has fallen out of their businesses because of the shutdown.
“There is no better time to make a move than now.
“Football has changed. Do you think some of the owners in the game, of some of the biggest clubs, care about the tradition of competitions?
“All they care about is an exit strategy — and a new European league, with the sums being talked about, gives them exactly that. It’s all about the money.”
Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli led the last attempt to restructure the European game in 2019.
But the 44-year-old’s ideas were swatted away by Uefa and ultimately the European Clubs Association. Yet for two decades now, the prospect of a Super League has never really disappeared.
Gaining the approval of Fifa and its president Gianni Infantino has been a major hurdle in the past.
There has always been a threat that any stars involved in a breakaway competition would NOT be able to play in a World Cup.
But the project backers believe that Fifa could be persuaded to relax its stance.
An agreement between Fifa and Uefa over the international calendar is in place until 2024 and offers a natural opportunity to try to mould a new way of doing things.
The insider added: “Players are assets, and their values have dropped by at least a third, wiping more money off club accounts.
“In England, we can see demands for more money to filter down to the lower leagues from the top.
“That kind of arrangement has been like a shackle for the big clubs who know they can make fortunes themselves.
“Why not do it differently? The top clubs go their own way.
“And then the rest who are mostly also-rans in their leagues at the moment have a new competition where they have a genuine chance of competing and winning things.
“If we are going to see a reset in the football business model across the board, this could provide the perfect solution.”
Only English footballer playing through coronavirus crisis sheds light on playing in front of no fans in Taiwan
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
