Boris Johnson reportedly gave a key architect of the European Super League the idea he backed the controversial breakaway tournament, before publicly slamming it

• Boris Johnson gave the impression he backed plans for the European Super League in a private meeting.
• The Times of England reports Ed Woodward met with Johnson just days before the plans were announced.
• Johnson publicly criticized the Super League, calling it "very damaging for football."

Ed Woodward, one of the key architects of the European Super League, reportedly met with Boris Johnson just days before the controversial breakaway tournament was announced, and left with the impression that the UK Prime Minister backed the plans.

The Sunday Times reported over the weekend that Woodward, the executive vice-chairman of Manchester United, was welcomed to Downing Street by its chief of staff Dan Rosenfield on April 14, just four days before 12 of Europe's biggest soccer clubs, Manchester United included, announced they had agreed to join the league.

After Rosenfield expressed his own support for the proposal in a meeting with Woodward, The Times says the United chief then spoke with Johnson and was left with the impression that he was also in favor.

A government source has denied the suggestion that Rosenfield backed the plans in his meeting with Woodward, telling The Independent that the pair spoke only of COVID-19 restrictions and that there was "definitely no discussion of the Super League."

The source did, however, acknowledge that Woodward may have spoken privately with Johnson.

The UK's opposition Labour Party has now called for the minutes of the meeting between Rosenfield and Woodward to be published in order to clear up any "confusion."

Jo Stevens, Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said, per i News: "The Prime Minister and his ministers made very public and vocal condemnation of the European Super League, the public would therefore expect the same message to have been delivered in any private meetings.

"Downing Street should release the minutes in order to clear up any confusion and avoid accusations of hypocrisy."

After plans for the league were officially announced on Sunday, Johnson publicly slammed them, calling the idea "very damaging for football."

"Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action," he tweeted.

"They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country. The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps."

Following further backlash from fans across the continent and the sport's governing bodies, plans for the Super League had crashed and burned by Wednesday.

Nine of the teams involved, including all six English clubs, withdrew, while Woodward also announced he was going to step down from his role at United at the end of the year.