European Super League would '100 per cent' destroy the EPL: ex-Arsenal boss Wenger

Arsene Wenger believes a European Super League now, or in the future, would definitely cause the destruction of the Premier League.

The Premier League 'Big Six' signed up to and became founding members of the breakaway competition on Sunday, only to withdraw 48 hours later amid mass protests from fans outside stadiums and on social media.

Wenger's former club Arsenal were the first club to apologise to their supporters for their role in the creation of the controversial Super League, with the club's fans holding a subsequent protest on Friday against owner Stan Kroenke ahead of their defeat by Everton.

But speaking to The Telegraph, the 71-year-old Frenchman admitted he was perplexed by the English clubs signing up to the competition, claiming everyone in Europe wants to see the Premier League break down.

'It [the Super League] was born dead,' Wenger - who is now FIFA's head of global development after leaving the Gunners in 2018 following 22 years at the helm - said.

'From the start, I couldn't believe it would work. The most surprising in all that was the English behaviour.

'Everybody dreams of destroying the Premier League in Europe. In England we do it ourselves.

'I can't understand the rationality behind that because England voted for Brexit and now they want to bring a super league.

'The English has the strongest league. The Super League would destroy, 100 per cent, the Premier League.'

Wenger - who predicted the formation of a new tournament similar to the Super League back in 2009 - has already hit out this week at the Super League proposals, and urged the football world to 'stay united'.

'I would say that's a bad idea,' Wenger told talkSPORT. 'Football has to stay united, it's the most important thing.

'It's based on sporting merit and overall to respect the history that has been built from European football.

'I don't know what exactly is behind (it). There is a more dangerous idea behind it and it's a big threat for the Premier League.

'When I was still in charge it was a lot going on from other countries to diminish the dominance of the Premier League and a project like that would certainly accelerate that.'

Arsenal and fellow Premier League rivals Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham have all now withdrawn, but Super League president Florentino Perez issued them with a threat over their 'legally binding contracts'.

When asked what penalties clubs who have withdrawn could face, Perez said: 'I'm not going to explain now what a binding contract is... But the clubs can't leave.

'Some of them, because of pressure, have had to say that they're leaving. But this project or one like it will go forward, and I hope it's soon.

'The Super League still exists, and the members are still in it. Now we have given ourselves some weeks to think, while we face the violence that some people, who don't want to lose their privileges, have used to manipulate our project.'