European Super League: Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and City 'in talks' to leave Champions League

Officials from each of the five Premier League clubs were seen leaving London's Dorchester Hotel after meeting with American billionaire Stephen Ross

A view of the Champions League trophy at the Allianz Arena last season (Getty Images)

Five of England’s biggest Premier League clubs are believed to have held talks over leaving the Champions League in order to form a new European breakaway league that could change the face of continental football.

The Sun report that officials from Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United met at London’s Dorchester Hotel on Tuesday to hold talks with American billionaire Stephen Ross regarding a new European Super League.

Pictured leaving the hotel were United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck, Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, City’s chief executive Ferran Soriano and Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre.

The quintuplet were seen leaving on Tuesday afternoon, shaking hands and smiling, after being invited to the meeting by Ross – who owns NFL side the Miami Dolphins. Ross is also responsible for the creation of the International Champions Cup, a pre-season competition that sees a number of high profile teams compete across the globe.

The formation of a new tournament would be the biggest threat to Uefa that they have faced, and would mean a shake-up to English football in comparison to the formation of the Premier League in 1992.

It would also mean that regardless of finishing position, United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and City would be ringfenced in European competition and would no longer have to suffer the financial implication of missing out on the top four.

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross (Getty)

Yet it would result in teams such as Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur missing out on the competition, despite currently sitting first and second respectively in the Premier League table. With United currently struggling to finish in the top four and Liverpool’s hopes all but over as they sit down in ninth, both are known to be keen on a new competition that would protect their elite European status.

Should five clubs come from the Premier League, it is thought that they would make up a quarter of the 20 teams that Ross wants to join the Super League.

Ross currently has a net worth of more than £3bn, and made his as a real estate developer before venturing into the world of sport.