Man City to use threat of European Super League as ‘bargaining chip’
Manchester City are likely to use the threat of reigniting the plans for the European Super League as a negotiating tool against the Premier League.
That is according to former Everton chief executive and ex-Premier League board member Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that, in reality, the breakaway would have little benefit for the Citizens if it ever came to fruition.
City have already decided to appeal against the Premier League’s guilty verdict over their 114 financial breaches, and are set to face an ongoing battle to try and prove their innocence.
Wyness expects them to use the threat of the European Super League as a “bargaining chip” if the verdict appears set to go against them, in a bid to try and reduce any punishment that comes their way.
Financial experts remain clear that City are likely to face a massive points deduction, which could effectively automatically relegate them from the top flight.
However, Wyness believes that if City did go down that route, the new league would face huge issues from the very beginning.
European Super League would have tarnished reputation
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Super League would have a huge black mark against itself from the very beginning if City prompted it to resurface.
Wyness believes that no new brand should be built around a club that have broken the rules, and added that the reputation of the league would be low before it ever even started.
Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, he explained why the Super League is likely to go no further than just a potential threat from the City hierarchy.
“I think it's a bargaining chip in the discussion. If you were to try and say, Real Madrid and Man City were the main architects behind the new Super League,” he said.
“You've got Real Madrid, who themselves had problems with state aid. You've got Man City now, who are at least guilty at this stage of breaking the rules. So you'd be forming a league based on clubs that weren't respectful of rules.
“The brand itself, I think, would be pretty tarnished right from the start. I think the Super League is probably more of a tool right now in terms of a negotiating tactic for City.
“If it were to come true, I don't think it would actually help them that much, and I don't think the fans would quite like a new brand based on clubs that weren't respectful of rules. You've got to have a rules-based competition; otherwise sport has no meaning.”
Tottenham have ‘strong case’ to gain ‘£50m’ compensation from Man City
Wyness previously told Football Insider on Wednesday that Tottenham have a “strong case” to land significant compensation from the saga surrounding City at the moment.
The Lilywhites missed out on Champions League football by one place in four of the nine seasons in which City breached the rules, with the disgraced club finishing above them on all four occasions.
Wyness believes that Spurs could stand to earn at least £50million from a potential compensation claim, although he noted that would be nothing compared to the four years worth of top-level European football.
Several Premier League clubs are currently contemplating making claims against City, as their situation could potentially get even worse in the coming months.