Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham apologises to Premier League clubs

Arsenal chief executive Vinai Venkatesham is understood to have contacted the 14 Premier League sides not involved in the Super League to apologise for his club's actions.

The Gunners were one of six Premier League teams set to feature in the competition along with their London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham, the two Manchester clubs and Liverpool.

However, just 48 hours after the plans were announced it all came tumbling down with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus currently the only sides not to have withdrawn.

Much has been made of how the six aforementioned English clubs will be 'welcomed' back into the Premier League, after the FA originally threatened to ban them from competing in England's top tier if they followed through with their Super League plans.

Liverpool owner John Henry has already been forced to issue a public apology to Reds fans for his part in the debacle, and now Arsenal chief executive Venkatesham has begun his apologies.

The Telegraph's Sam Wallace reports that the Gunners chief has held phone calls with executives of the 14 non-Super League clubs from the Premier League to apologise for his actions.

As is to be expected, sources described the conversations as 'rather awkward', though the sentiment behind the apology was appreciated.

It's unclear whether Venkatesham is the only member of the six sides to have offered an olive branch to the rest of the league, though harsh conversations will undoubtedly need to take place over the coming days and weeks.

It remains to be seen what sanctions - if any - will be imposed on the so-called 'big six', with Premier League lawyers reportedly looking into what actions should be taken.