OLD FIRM WANTED FOR NEW BRITISH SUPER LEAGUE

THE Old Firm are wanted to join a British League - as part of the fall-out of the failed Euro breakaway plot.

While England’s Big Six led the humiliating retreat from the Super League debacle, they remain convinced reform of the Premier League is essential.

Top of the list is an offer to the Old Firm clubs to come aboard and join the new-look league.

And unlike the Super League shambles, which was condemned across the game, it is likely an enlarged Premier League including Gers and Celts would be BACKED by FIFA, UEFA and the UK Government, with the latter seeing it as a way of winning back an element of the Scottish electorate in a bid to try and hang onto Scotland as demand for independence continues to build.

Rangers and Celtic could grab a lucrative slice of the Premier League cake, while their inclusion would also see a spike in interest from fans across the world, as well as sponsors and broadcasters.

One club source south of the border said: “Whether or not the European Super League was going to happen, we all feel the Premier League has to be changed and improved.

“It is time we opened it up to Rangers and Celtic. That would make sense for everyone.”

Reform of the Premier League has been a huge discussion point since October’s publication of the Project Big Picture plans which were drafted by Liverpool and Manchester United.

EPL chief executive Richard Masters was forced to agree to a “strategic review” of the competition’s future, conceding “the status quo is not an option”.

The review was conducted by US-owned Boston Consulting and is due to report back to England’s top 20 clubs in June.

British Super League latest:

But while the Big Six were battered by the ESL backlash this week, they believe there is an appetite for change.

In addition to the Old Firm plan, one other idea is an end-of-season top-four play-off, similar to those in rugby union and rugby league in England.

They are also still pushing for a reduction from 20 to 18 teams in the top flight.

Another club chief said: “We have never wavered from the belief that 18 clubs is the only sensible way forward.

Celtic majority shareholder Dermot Desmond predicted a British Premier League in the past Credit: PA

“It is also what Uefa, Fifa and the European Club Association have long called for.”

That may be a proposal too far for the 14 other Premier League clubs who ganged up to help win the Super League battle against the Big Six.

Celtic and Rangers would rank inside the top 10 for stadium capacity

But unlike the doomed Super League, there would be global backing for a British League.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino gave his blessing for cross-border leagues when asked about proposals for mergers between Holland and Belgium, and also in Mexico and the MLS.

Infantino said: “If we want teams to play at the highest level around the world, we need to have new ideas and we need to see that."

Earlier this season, Celtic's majority shareholder Dermot Desmond predicted a changing football landscape could open the door for the Old Firm to join a “British Premier League”.

He said: “Everything now is about the size of clubs and their followings.

"It’s become a digital world – streaming, Zoom. This pandemic has changed things.

“Now, what are we going to see with football?

"Will we see clubs sell their own international rights, take more control of their finances internationally?

“If that’s the case, because you know the top clubs in England want to control their international rights, those rights will be far more valuable if they’re playing against Celtic and Rangers.

“Celtic and Rangers are in the top eight clubs in Great Britain by any metric – support, attendance, international appeal.

“At some stage, there’s going to be the realisation that if they want to maximise their revenues, then there’ll be a British Premier League.”