UK commercial broadcaster ITV is holding talks with rival BT Sport over the prospect of buying a portion of the pay-TV network's Uefa Champions League rights, according to a report by the Sunday Times newspaper, reports, www.sportspromedia.com/.

Last November, BT Sport retained its exclusive rights contract for European soccer's premier club competition until the end of the 2023/24 season, paying UK£1.2 billion (US$1.5 billion) in a deal struck with Uefa's sales agency, Team Marketing.

However, after losing out on the original rights tender, ITV bosses are now apparently in discussions with BT executives in a bid to sub-license a package of games, with telecommunications firm's deal with Uefa affording it permission to sell on rights packages.

Any such deal would see the Champions League return to UK free-to-air TV for the first time since 2015, when BT outbid joint rights holders ITV and pay-TV network Sky Sports to exclusively secure broadcast rights to Europe's elite club soccer tournament.