Super League plan offers 16 clubs £23 million per season

An Italian company has offered a £23 million a season bounty to sixteen European clubs to break from their domestic leagues and start the much rumoured Super League operation.

The English Premiership is aware of the offer and the interest of two notorious Super league agitators - Arsenal executive David Dein and Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards.

The entire bid by the Italian company Media Partners could easily become enmeshed in lengthy legal argument and no club is presently allowed to play in competitions outside those sanctioned by their national associations and federations, and by turn UEFA and FIFA. The position of players in their national sides would need to be cleared up for a start.

The idea is for two groups of eight to play in a midweek league that would destroy the present Champions League and allow the clubs to divide television revenue among themselves. It will be an invitation only event and feature a semi-final and final between the winners of the two groups at the end of the season. With the midweek fixture schedule proposed it is designed to run alongside the national league competitions and is a threat to the Champions League rather than domestic competitions. Lurking behind it though is the danger of an elite group abandoning their national leagues to play in this competition only. Plans for a world club cup from next summer are likely to bring this action by a small group nearer.