Liverpool and Manchester United’s owners are ready to go head-to-head by buying teams in the new rugby rebel league threatening to rip up the sport and create a brand new global structure by ploughing in millions of pounds of fresh investment.
Fenway Sports Group - who own Liverpool, the Boston Red Sox and various other sports franchises - the Glazer family - who own more than 70 per cent of United - and Red Bull are among the parties interested in becoming franchise owners in R360, the proposed new breakaway league.
Mail Sport can today reveal the bombshell plans that are gathering rapid momentum - with half the England squad provisionally agreeing to flee to the rebel league, which is promising million-dollar salaries and is primed to begin in just over a year on free-to-air television.