Former Arsenal attacking-midfielder Mesut Ozil has bemoaned the idea of a European Super League coming into fruition after it was confirmed that 12 clubs from England, Spain and Italy had signed up to join the new-look competition.
Reports emerged on Sunday afternoon that some of England, Spain and Italy's leading clubs were set to announce plans to form the new-look mid-week European tournament.
Late on Sunday evening, those involved in England - Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur - confirmed that they had all signed up to participate, much to the anger of football supporters across the country and pundits.
The idea is to see those six Premier League clubs form a European breakaway and test themselves against the very best that Europe has to offer, as well as the fact that it would see them inherit large amounts of money, which in turn would have a massively damaging effect on those beneath them in the English football pyramid.
At this moment in time, no players from any of the clubs involved have come out to deliver their opinions on what has happened. However, former Gunners midfielder Ozil, who left the club in January to join Turkish outfit Fenerbahce, as hit out at the idea, insisting young, aspiring footballers dream of winning both the World Cup and the UEFA Champions League, opposed to a Super League.
"Kids grow up dreaming to win the World Cup and the Champions League - not any Super League," Ozil posted on his Twitter page. "The enjoyment of big games is that they only happen once or twice a year, not every week.
"Really hard to understand for all football fans out there..."
As well as Ozil criticising the idea, former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, who is now on the books of French giants Paris Saint-Germain, who have not joined the European Super League, has also blasted the plan.
In a statement released on his own Twitter page, the Spaniard said: "I fell in love with popular football, with the football of the fans, with the dream of seeing the team of my heart compete against the greatest.
"If this European Super League advances, those dreams are over, the illusions of the fans of the teams that are not giants of not being able to win on the field competing in the best competitions will end.
"I love football and I cannot remain silent about this. I believe in an improved Champions League, but not in the rich stealing what people created, which is nothing more than the most beautiful sport on the planet."
