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To those who despair at the growing commercialisation of English football, embodied by the Premier League's plan to introduce an “international round”, Garry Cook, the Manchester City executive chairman, has a blunt and rather terrifying message.

He believes that the league remains too parochial in outlook and that the future lies in a “central entity” of perhaps 14 elite clubs - with no promotion, no relegation and bundles upon bundles of cash for those involved.

“We are starting to segment the league now,” Cook said of the present landscape in the Premier League.

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“We're getting into a situation where there are maybe ten clubs. Do Saudi Arabians want to buy - and no disrespect to these clubs - Stoke City or Derby County? Or do they want to buy Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Manchester City?”

Cook was asked whether this meant that he would advocate a breakaway league of, for example, 14 clubs. “Yes,” he said. “And I wouldn't have promotion and relegation. That's what central entity is, like the NFL in American football. Once you get central entity, you basically share the wealth.”

It was put to Cook that a “closed shop” would minimise the excitement for supporters and lessen the appeal for sponsors. “I don't believe it would be the case,” he said. “You would create that excitement in another way, wouldn't you? I agree that there's an emotion around those relegation and promotion issues, but when we first had the Uefa Cup and the League Cup and the Champions League, people wondered what would happen there.

“The sport will change and the fans will find a way to get passionate about a piece of it. I think they do that because they're committed to their football club and they're committed to their sport. The dynamics and the mechanism by which they can get their kicks can change.

“I'm not dispelling the model we have. I'm just saying that, if you want to keep this within the islands of the United Kingdom and make sure it attracts everybody's attention for the right reasons and the reasons we've had the history and heritage for, heck, let's keep going. I don't mind.

“If you want to become a multi-multibillion-pound empire, you may have to look at changing the model.

“You look at Manchester City's brand and it looks like it's Thomas Cook . And there's something not right about sitting in a bar in Bangkok or Beijing and seeing a match here and seeing Fred Smith's Plumbing. Call 0161.' You have to think on a global stage.

“I talk to Richard Scudamore about this all the time: ‘Are we maximising the central entity of the Premier League?' And he rolls his eyes and says: ‘If only, if only we could, if only we would.' But these opportunities are massive. Even Manchester United haven't scratched the surface yet and, if anyone has got a head start, it's them.”