Newcastle United takeover consortium react to 'Project Big Picture' proposal as UK government hint at football authority review

The plans, which could see the English Football League handed a £250million rescue package, have come under considerable criticism due to their nature, with many believing they call into question the integrity of the English game.

Leaked over the weekend, the plans include the top flight ‘big six’ – Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City – plus Everton, West Ham and Southampton being granted ‘special voting rights’ as ‘long-term shareholders’, allowing them to veto changes of ownership to other clubs.

Promotion and relegation would also be altered, with the Premier League reduced to 18 teams, parachute payments binned along with the Community Shield and League Cup.

The upside to this would be the bail out package presented to EFL clubs, which would also propose to hand them 25% of future revenues from the top flight.

Ghodoussi, one of the key players in brokering the Newcastle United takeover deal headed up financially by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, has revealed he is against the proposal on the grounds of anti-competition, pointing to Leicester City’s heroics of 2016 and the breaking of the elite six as a unique selling point of the Premier League.

Via his Twitter account, Ghodoussi said: “Monopolies destroy competition....what makes the premier league the best league in the world is seasons like 2015/16 #PremierLeague #20teams.”

Meanwhile, culture secretary Oliver Dowden has revealed football governance could be examined by the UK government in light of the dramatic shake up proposed by the Premier League.

Speaking to LBC, Dowden said of ‘Project Big Picture’: “I don't think it's really what we need now.

"If the EFL and Premier League don't get together to sort out the challenges they face to secure the game through this period, we will have to look at football governance.

"We said in our manifesto that we would look at a 'fan-led review' of football.

"What we have seen over the past few days is making the case for that, unless the Premier League and EFL can get their act together very quickly."

When asked whether he supported the binning of the Community Shield and League Cup, Dowden said: "I'm somewhat surprised by this backroom deal."

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