‘The Premier League is the Super League’ – Carragher reacts to revisited ESL plans

Former England and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has had his say on the revisited idea of the European Super League (ESL).

Carragher insists the parties involved in reviving the previously rejected plans for the ESL cannot wrap their head around the spending power of the Premier League clubs.

The ESL is once again at the centre of debate across European football after its initial plans and format was shut down when it first surfaced in April 2021.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are at the forefront of the push for the breakaway tournament, but just like in 2021, the idea of the ESL has caused a stir in the footballing world.

The new proposal for the ESL would follow a multi-divisional format, comprising between 60 to 80 teams with each playing a minimum of 14 games per season.

However, it is believed that the tournament would not allow English clubs to participate, which has drawn widespread criticism both in England and abroad.

Carragher has responded to the latest plans for a major shake-up, insisting that the Premier League is the de facto Super League and the clubs responsible for the ESL do not like that they are being left behind financially by English football.

FIFA’s latest report shows Premier League clubs spent a record £742 million in the January transfer window – £323m of which was splashed out by Chelsea, who were the highlights of the winter window.

“It basically falls down to the fact that the Premier League is the Super League, and that’s what Barcelona, Real Madrid, the Milans, Juventus, can’t get their heads around,” Carragher told Sky Sports.

“They can’t fathom why some of the biggest clubs in European football are earning the same as a mid-table club in the Premier League. You look at the transfer fees. 

“You look at the January transfer window compared to other countries and the Premier League – and it’s night and day. They want a slice of it.

“The only problem is, I think there was so much damage done to our clubs by attempting to leave to join the Super League that they’ve been burnt badly, and I think it’ll be a long time before our clubs are getting involved in anything like this.

“And without the English clubs right now, for me there is no Super League.”