The Premier League today tried to play down increasing speculation that Celtic and Rangers are on the brink of switching to the English league.
Glasgow's Old Firm are keen to maximise their potential on and off the pitch by quitting the Scottish domestic game, in which they have split the championship without interruption since 1985.
Celtic and Rangers are believed to have held informal talks with executives from some of England's top clubs about the viability of the Premiership soaking up two more teams, possibly resulting in the creation of Premier League Two.
But Premier League officials are playing down the possibility of such a move, and today they said they had not had any contact with either of the Scottish giants.
Premier League spokesman Philip French said: "Celtic and Rangers are not joining the FA Premier League. There are no plans to change the current structure and no discussions are taking place".
Celtic and Rangers are hopeful that by incorporating them into a reduced 16-team Premier League top flight and giving lower clubs the welcome parachute of a second tier, they would be able to garner enough votes amongst Premiership chairmen to move into the new set-up, possibly as early as the start of the 2004-5 season.
But it remains hard to envisage clubs such as Southampton and Derby voting a move that would not only put their top-flight status in danger but also effectively end their outside hopes of ever landing a UEFA Cup berth.
And the Football Association would no doubt require assurances from UEFA that such a move would not jeopardise the existence of the four separate British international teams before they rubber-stamped such a move.
PA