Do Leicester City deserve to be in the Champions League?

One of the US sports executives who met with representatives of the Premier League big five this week has claimed it would be in their interests to set up a "closed shop" system in Europe and has questioned the value of shock Premier League leaders Leicester City to the sport.

On Tuesday, Charlie Stillitano, the business partner of the Miami Dolphins' billionaire owner Stephen Ross, hosted talks with Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

Now he says those clubs deserve a place in European competition before smaller clubs such as Leicester.

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In an interview with a US radio station, Stillitano said: "What would Manchester United argue? Did we create soccer or did Leicester create it?"

Talking about what he called the "money pot created by soccer", he asked: "Who has more of an integral role, Manchester United or Leicester? It's a wonderful, wonderful story, but you could see it from Manchester United's point of view, too."

Stillitano also appeared to belittle the Champions League in its current format, comparing it unfavourably to the invitational pre-season tournament his company organises in the United States, which features some of Europe's biggest teams.

"When you see the teams we have this summer... you are going to shake your head and say, 'Isn't that the Champions League?' No, the Champions League is PSV [Eindhoven] and Ghent," he said.

The businessman has been described as the "best-connected American in European football", says The Times, and counts Sir Alex Ferguson as a close friend. Jose Mourinho has nicknamed him "Mr Zero Mistakes", adds the paper.

Despite claims from the Premier League clubs that they are not interested in forming a breakaway league, Stillitano hinted that Europe's biggest teams are looking "increasingly favourably on a 'closed system' - a Champions League in which there is no promotion and the biggest sides feature every year - as the best way of retaining the competition’s appeal and maximising its commercial value", reports The Times.