Arsenal and Chelsea are driving the Premiership's bid for an international round of games.

The London Evening Standard says both Gunners managing director Keith Edelman and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon spoke very strongly in favour of the move at last Thursday's meeting of all 20 clubs.

Another key advocate was former West Ham managing director Peter Storrie who is now at Portsmouth.

All three chiefs - from clubs with significant levels of Russian investment - argued that going global is essential for the League to remain competitive in the face of rival sporting attractions.