Anders Horsholt, the FC Copenhagen director, has revealed discussions have been held over a potential European league involving teams from Scotland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway and Sweden.

In February, reports in Scotland suggested that Celtic’s chief executive, Peter Lawwell, was in favour of establishing the league as they feared being frozen out of plans to reorganise the Champions League.

Now, Horsholt, whose side face Leicester City in the Champions League next week, has admitted talks are ongoing.

In an interview with the Danish newspaper BT, he said: “Yes it’s true. If we do not act now, we will see the biggest clubs grow larger and stronger while it will be increasingly difficult for clubs like us.

“We must therefore look at which alternative international opportunities for FC Copenhagen in the future.

“Here it is still too early to talk about specific models, but the discussion of leagues across European borders is a theme that we look at and actively participate in.”

Last month the president of Spain’s La Liga admitted he is considering proposals to form a breakaway competition to rival the Champions League because it represents a “greater opportunity to generate more revenue”. In July the Dalian Wanda Group, which is owned by China’s richest man Wang Jianlin, revealed it had begun discussions with clubs to create a tournament which would rival the current competition run by Uefa.

That followed Uefa’s announcement that Europe’s top four leagues will have four automatic places in the Champions League group stage from the 2018-19 season onwards – a move that was supported by clubs in Spain and Italy.

“We understand that the biggest clubs act as they do,” Horsholt said. “But it also means that we must look at the market it leaves and seek alliances with teams from other countries in the same situation.

“This is not a situation that we have created, but we have to deal with it because we cannot live with the alternative accounting. We must continue to develop as a club and be attractive to sponsors, the most skilled players and staff. Therefore, it is essential that we are at the European level.

“FC Copenhagen and other European clubs that will be part of a new European league will step out of their domestic leagues. It is still well in the future, but it may well be the result.”

In February the Daily Record revealed that a consortium of businessmen based in England had approached the former PSV Eindhoven chairman Harry van Raaij in a bid to resurrect his idea for an Atlantic League, which was originally rejected in 2000.