Johnson lauds Chelsea, Man City’s ‘decision’ to quit Euro Super League
Boris Johnson has praised Chelsea and Manchester City for quitting the European Super League.
The Prime Minister said the pair had made “absolutely right decision” and called on the four remaining English clubs to follow their example.
The European Super League lies in tatters this evening after Chelsea and City’s dramatic u-turn, with Arsenal set to follow.
In a dramatic victory for football the giants have decided they no longer want to be involved in the rebel league after wide spread fan protests.
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The PM has signalled his willingness even to bring in a new legislation to block the move and has now Tweeted his support for the clubs who have quit.
“The decision by Chelsea and Manchester City is – if confirmed – absolutely the right one and I commend them for it,” he wrote.
“I hope the other clubs involved in the European Super League will follow their lead.”
It is also believed that Atletico Madrid have pulled out of the ESL while Barcelona have said they will put the proposal to their fans before deciding.
Amid the fall out from the disastrous Super League proposal Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has quit, although it is understood he made his decision on Monday.
However, the Red Devils have not yet spoken out on their future in the competition.
In what will be a potentially fatal blow to the £4.6billion scheme, Man City chiefs decided they could no longer be party to the plans that have rocked football to its very foundations.
A high level source with knowledge of the Super League company confirmed that City have sent a letter enacting the process of withdrawing from the initiative.
When asked to confirm if they had withdrawn, City said they could not comment for legal reasons.
City were the last of the initial six Prem clubs, and the 12th in all, to sign up to the plan hatched by Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United and funded by US investment giant JP Morgan.
Like Chelsea, who are in the process of preparing their withdrawal documents, the Etihad outfit were understood to feel they had no option other than to join the breakaway.
That was despite both clubs’ hierarchies harbouring doubts over the project.
But the fear of missing out on a huge tranche of the initial £3bn joining pot and minimum £130m per year on offer saw both clubs take a bite out of the carrot.
City’s concerns have grown over the past 24 hours, with the backlash intensifying as fans groups castigated the rebel clubs.