Controversial EFL TV deal has 'more political manoeuvrings than Brexit'

Rebel Championship clubs are considering their next move in the row with the EFL over its controversial £595million television deal.

Senior officials from Aston Villa, Derby, Leeds, West Brom, Stoke, Nottingham Forest, Preston met on Tuesday and the group are considering a legal challenge to the deal with Sky Sports.

The rebel clubs released a statement expressing “grave concern” at the five-year agreement and a meeting is proposed with all 24 Championship clubs to discuss the possibility of legal action.

The seven clubs who met, led by Leeds, Derby and Aston Villa, are plotting their move and the EFL and the other 17 clubs are waiting to see what direction they take.

One source told Standard Sport that “this has got more political manoeuvrings than Brexit”.

Some clubs threatened to form a breakaway division but that is unlikely, and it remains to be seen if the seven clubs who met yesterday have a clear strategy on what they do next.

Clubs feel the new television contract undervalues the market despite it representing a 35 per cent increase on the existing deal. They are also unhappy at a lack of communication from the EFL. The EFL denies it ignored the clubs and says it considered all correspondence.

It is unclear how much support the seven rebel clubs would have from the rest of Championship clubs if they wanted to make a legal challenge in an attempt to overturn the EFL television deal with Sky.