US mogul confirms European Super League talks - and makes it clear that Leicester need not apply

Forming a European Super League is being discussed by leading clubs across the continent, according to Relevent Sports chairman Charlie Stillitano.

Stillitano was in London on Tuesday to hold talks with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United over the International Champions Cup.

Relevent Sports runs the annual pre-season friendly tournament and Stillitano revealed that during discussions with the Premier League clubs the issue of re-structuring the Champions League came up.

When asked if a Super League is on the agenda, Stillitano told Sirius XM: "I think it is. They're talking about it all over Europe. At least a change in format.

"When they came up with the Champions League, the idea wasn't to have PSV and Genk playing in the knockout stage.

"There are several different groups among Europe's top clubs that want a fairer share from the Champions League.

"When you see the teams we have in the ICC, you're going to want to go see us...

"What would Manchester United argue: did we create soccer or did Leicester create [it]?

"I guess they don’t have a birthright to be in it every year but it’s the age-old argument: US sports franchises versus what they have in Europe.

"There are wonderful, wonderful, wonderful elements to relegation and promotion and there are good arguments for a closed system.”

The Premier League clubs who met with Stillitano have denied that they are plotting to quit the division in favour of a breakaway European Super League.

Reports on Wednesday claimed officials from the five clubs met with American billionaire Stephen Ross, the owner of NFL team Miami Dolphins.

Photographs of club officials leaving a meeting at the Dorchester Hotel in London together prompted speculation that another attempt could be made to form a continental league competition.

However, some of those clubs involved have since stressed that any idea of a so-called Super League was not raised - with Arsenal announcing they are "strongly opposed" to the formation of a breakaway league.

There is simply no grounds on which to compare US sports - where the college system feeds the big professional leagues - with the European one, in which giants can rise and fall, and heroes can appear from the most unlikely places. The existing football meritocracy is shaky enough as it is, given the money sloshing around at Europe's biggest few clubs; to suggest that it ought to be dismantled because United would get better TV ratings than Leicester is horrifying.