Rangers and Celtic 'targeted' in shock British Premier league plans
The Old Firm could be invited to a reformed Premier League set-up being led by the ‘Big Six’, according to reports – and the plans could be ratified by UEFA, FIFA and the UK Government who were vehemently against the ESL plans which fell earlier this week.
As well as the new entries, the plans could also explore end of season play-offs and are seeking a smaller top flight, reduced to 18 teams, The Sun claims.
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Hide AdChanges to the Premier League in England have been topical long before this week’s European plans provoked ire across the continent and mass withdrawal on Wednesday of the 12 clubs involved in the proposal. Manchester United and Liverpool were amongst those involved in the ‘Project Big Picture’ think-tank looking at changes to the football system in England.
That has led to the possibility of an invite being extended to the Old Firm – a divisive subject frequently revisited, but one which Celtic supremo Dermot Desmond has suggested in the past.
Last autumn the major shareholder at Parkhead predicted a cross-border league would likely surface after a possible Atlantic League was again raised by Irish sports investor Andrew Doyle – but Celtic pulled out.
A cross-border league talking point is not limited to the British Isles either. In March, Belgium’s Jupiler League voted to explore a merger with the Dutch Eredivisie across both countries’ top flights.