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NEIL DONCASTER will today announce another stop gap £200,000 sponsorship deal for the League Cup - then reveal radical plans to overhaul the entire tournament in time for next season.

Record Sport understands the SPFL are set to press ahead with proposals to give the competition a massive revamp which will effectively bring summer football to Scotland as early as next year.

Talks between the clubs are already at an advanced stage with a broad agreement to reintroduce group stages which will begin in July, weeks ahead of the next league campaign.

It’s anticipated that the group stages will be regionalised which could result in a number of high profile derby matches in the likes of Dundee, Edinburgh and the Highlands.

But all clubs participating in Champions League or Europa League qualifiers will be exempt from these early showdowns and be parachuted into the competition in the later knock-out rounds.

(Image: Daily Record)

A source said: “It all adds up to a major rebranding of a competition which has been running out of steam for a long time now. Summer football is something the fans seems to want so having competitive matches in July for the first time will provide an interesting yardstick.

“Also, as well as the potential for some big derby matches, regionalising the group stages will reduce transport costs for both the fans and the clubs so the hope is these changes will give the competition a badly needed shot in the arm.”

Last season railway specialists QTS paid around £100,000 to sponsor the League Cup from the semi-finals onwards, after Celtic and Rangers had been paired in the last four.

It’s expected this latest deal - which will begin at the quarter final stage - will be worth more than double that sum.