December 16 – Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says English teams should seriously consider whether they would want to take part in rumoured global Super League.
Real Madrid boss Florentino Perez is reportedly spearheading attempts to introduce a new global competition and has held private talks with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and other leading club chiefs, according to the New York Times.
His plan apparently involves the introduction of two leagues, each featuring 20 teams exclusively from England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France, that would see them leave their respective domestic leagues from 2024 to take part.
Such a competition is believed to be a response to FIFA’s plans to expand the Club World Cup from 2021 to a 24-team tournament.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has already branded Perez’s proposal a “selfish and egotistical scheme”, and Ferguson said he cannot see how such a concept would appeal to the English clubs.
“I struggle to see why an English team would need to leave,” Ferguson, who won 38 trophies in 26 years at Old Trafford before retiring in 2013, told the BBC.
The radical proposal would all but destroy the Champions League but as a sweetener some clubs have reportedly been informed by Perez and his advisors that they could as much as double their revenue.
“Without question, it is money orientated, but surely this would not be attractive to our clubs in the Premier League, which at the moment is the best domestic league in world football and is well supported financially by Sky, BT and now Amazon,” Ferguson said.
“Furthermore, the attraction of playing in the Champions League is huge for players, coaches and fans alike, as it remains the ultimate test in club football.
“A lot of clubs with great history could be lost if their partners in the Premier League upped sticks. I strongly believe this is a realistic appraisal of the value of domestic football.”
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