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Celtic could be guaranteed a Champions League group stage place every year under new proposals that would grant wild card entries for clubs with 'great historical importance to football.'

The current format for Europe's top club competition is set to change and a variety of new formats have been proposed.

But reports in Holland have suggested a new format has been proposed by Europe's elite clubs which will see four Champions League groups of eight clubs each, meaning extra revenue for every club.

The top four teams will qualify for the knock-out phase, the bottom club would be 'relegated' and the remainder going into the Europa League.

Matches could also be played on some weekends.

But crucially, the proposal includes granting wild cards to clubs of historical importance in European football.

That would mean Celtic - the first British club to win the European Cup in 1967 - would be granted a spot in the new format.

Celtic chief Peter Lawwell is a board member at the European Club Association and he joined representatives from 10 other teams at the organisation's agm back in March.

Proposals could also limit the route to the new Champions League to countries outwith the big four of England, Spain, Italy and Germany.

And director of the Association of European Professional Football Leagues,Jacco Swart, has vowed to fight any proposals that would lead to a closed shop to clubs from leagues like Scotland.

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He said: "We have a meeting with the big clubs at the beginning of May to discuss these proposals.

"National competitions are the engine of the football economy. We would therefore like to see more financial solidarity from UEFA towards the clubs that do not participate in Europe.

"The rewards in European tournaments are becoming so great that it's very predictable and attractiveness is decreasing at national level.

"And a closed shop for the Champions League must be prevented at all costs."