Rangers manager Mark Warburton has reignited the debate over the Old Firm’s participation in a European Super League, saying that a possible match between his side and Arsenal would be more attractive to broadcasters than the likes of Leicester, Norwich and Bournemouth.

Under the former Brentford boss Rangers have emerged from the darkest period in their history, reforming in the Scottish Third Division after being liquidated in 2012, to a return to the Premier League next season after a near miss in last year’s play-offs.

South of the border recent years have seen the financial might of the Premier League grow ever greater, with clubs in the English top flight spending over £2billion on wages and flexing their muscles in the transfer market.

With the likes of West Ham and Leicester competing with perennial Italian champions Juventus for Michy Batshuayi Warburton is convinced that Europe’s heavy hitters will look to distance themselves from the English game.

He wants Rangers to be part of any such breakaway.

“If Bournemouth are competing with Bayern Munich for players it tells me that the market is skewed, and that a European Super League cannot be far away,” Warburton told The Times. “The big European clubs won’t want to be left behind by smaller ones in England and if you’re a broadcaster which game would you rather show: Norwich v Leicester or Arsenal v Rangers?

“Sky Sports and BT are relatively small players in global terms, but if Google or Amazon bought the rights and started streaming games to billions of people around the world they would want a guarantee of the biggest clubs.

Deloitte Football Money League Top Twenty 20 show all Deloitte Football Money League Top Twenty 1/20 Real Madrid: £439m 2/20 Barcelona: £426.6m 3/20 Manchester United: £395.2m 4/20 Paris Saint-Germain: £365.8m 5/20 Bayern Munich - £360.6m 6/20 Manchester City - £352.6m 7/20 Arsenal - £331.3m 8/20 Chelsea - £319.5m 9/20 Liverpool - £298.1m 2015 Getty Images 10/20 Juventus - £246.4m 2015 Getty Images 11/20 Borussia Dortmund - £213.5m 12/20 Tottenham Hotspur - £195.9m 13/20 Schalke - £167.1m 2016 Getty Images 14/20 AC Milan - £151.5m 15/20 Atletico Madrid - £142.3m 16/20 Roma - £137.2m 17/20 Newcastle - £128.8m 18/20 Everton - £125.6m 19/20 Inter - £125.4m 20/20 West Ham - £122.4m 1/20 Real Madrid: £439m 2/20 Barcelona: £426.6m 3/20 Manchester United: £395.2m 4/20 Paris Saint-Germain: £365.8m 5/20 Bayern Munich - £360.6m 6/20 Manchester City - £352.6m 7/20 Arsenal - £331.3m 8/20 Chelsea - £319.5m 9/20 Liverpool - £298.1m 2015 Getty Images 10/20 Juventus - £246.4m 2015 Getty Images 11/20 Borussia Dortmund - £213.5m 12/20 Tottenham Hotspur - £195.9m 13/20 Schalke - £167.1m 2016 Getty Images 14/20 AC Milan - £151.5m 15/20 Atletico Madrid - £142.3m 16/20 Roma - £137.2m 17/20 Newcastle - £128.8m 18/20 Everton - £125.6m 19/20 Inter - £125.4m 20/20 West Ham - £122.4m

“It may not feel right, but if Leicester, Tottenham and West Ham, end up in the Champions League next season I think there could be ramifications even sooner.

“The challenge for Rangers is to make sure we’re part of that conversation when it happens. We’re never going to join the Premier League, but a European League could be a possibility.”

In the early 2000s talks involving both Rangers and Celtic were held over an ‘Atlantic League’ that could include sides from the Netherlands and Portugal, however these proposals fell apart.

The prospect of a breakaway involving top sides from across the continent was revived earlier this year amid discussions between the European Club Association – which represents over 200 teams – and Uefa over the future of the Champions League.

The chairmen of five of the biggest clubs in England, including Arsenal and Chelsea, met with American billionaire Stephen Ross at London’s Dorchester Hotel last month, though the Gunners insisted they were not in favour of a breakaway competition.