Under the Super League proposals for a 20-team competition, the 15 founder members would be protected from the pitfalls of relegation, guaranteeing revenue streams from television rights deals and commercial sponsorship from regular matches between the European elite.
John Henry's Fenway Sports Group own both Liverpool and the Boston Red Sox and Arsenal's billionaire owner Stan Kroenke controls the LA Rams and Denver Nuggets. United have finished outside the top four in four of the last seven seasons. Arsenal, who sit ninth in the Premier League, have not qualified for the Champions League since 2016 and Liverpool face a battle to do so this season.
"One of the things they haven't done during the pandemic is to impose some sort of wages control. They've got themselves into a bit of a predicament."