Stoke City chairman Peter Coates has taken aim at the spending power of the Premier League's elite.

Coates warns they risk losing the competitiveness of the league.

He told the Daily Mail: "We all recognise the part the biggest clubs play, but they already get big rewards as well. They need to understand you have to keep it competitive and distribution of monies is an issue.

"Fans and viewers want to see a competitive game. Big clubs must never take their eye off that. We are second-from-bottom and we are playing the leaders. And we want to give them a game."

His instinct is that a European league won't happen.

"I don't think Europe will want it, I don't think England will want it. The Premier League is an amazing success story. There would be uproar if anyone considered killing it."