Premier League Reportedly Plans to Offer Clubs Money to Perform in Europa League

Premier League clubs could reportedly be offered cash incentives from next season to take the Europa League seriously as concerns rise over the division's UEFA coefficient.

The Premier League is in danger of losing its fourth-placed Champions League spot, and with major clubs Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all potentially set for Europa League football in 2016-17, plans are afoot to improve English teams' performances in Europe's second tier.

According to Dan King in the Sun, Premier League boss Richard Scudamore is set to ask clubs to approve a plan that could see rewards of up to £10 million offered for good performances in the Europa League.

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The reason being that England are in danger of dropping below Italy to fourth in the UEFA coefficients, a move that would see the Premier League stripped of one of its four Champions League spots, per Sky Sports' Gerard Brand.

Performances in the Champions League and the Europa League affect the rankings, thus an improved return from Premier League clubs in Europe's second tier could arrest the slide.

Historically, English top-flight clubs have not taken the Europa League that seriously. Chelsea won the competition in 2013 after their surprise group-stage elimination from the Champions League, and Fulham reached the final in 2010.

Season	Tottenham Hotspur Eliminated	Liverpool Eliminated
2015-16	Qualified for Last 32 (will face Fiorentina)	Qualified for Last 32 (will face Augsburg)
2014-15	Last 32	Last 32
2013-14	Last 16	Did not qualify
2012-13	Quarter-finals	Last 16
2011-12	Group Stages	Did not qualify

But the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, regular Europa League participants in the last few seasons, often field weakened sides in competition, per Sky Sports.

West Ham United and Southampton both departed this year's competition before the group stages, and King cited "the grind of playing Thursday-Sunday through the season" as a major reason why English clubs often relegate the importance of the Europa League.

There also seems to be a disinterest in the competition among Premier League fans, as proved by the poor ticket sales for Manchester United's upcoming last-32 clash at Old Trafford against Danish club Midtjylland, per the Times' James Ducker:

Premier League clubs' indifference to the Europa League (or UEFA Cup, its moniker before 2009) never used to matter in terms of the UEFA coefficient because English teams did so consistently well in the Champions League—with at least one representative in all but one final from 2005 to 2012.

However, performance levels have dropped in the last few seasons, and in 2014-15, not a single English side made the quarter-final stages of either the Champions League or the Europa League.

This season, United have already been lost at the group stages, and Chelsea and Arsenal face daunting last-16 ties against Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, respectively.

The Blues are all but guaranteed to not be in the Champions League next season—unless they win it this year—and Europa League qualification is possible, but unlikely.

Similarly with Liverpool: The best they can realistically hope for in 2016-17 is Europa League participation, while the Red Devils could well also have to settle for Europe's second tier—they are currently five points off the top four.

Such is the profile of Liverpool, United and Chelsea that they should all have ambitions of winning the Europa League next season if they qualify.

However, history suggests neither side would take it seriously enough to go deep, as the number of games required to triumph could jeopardise their Premier League ambitions.

Hence the suggestion that cash incentives be introduced, a motion that has to be supported by 14 of the 20 Premier League teams to go through, per King.

It may be the only way to improve performances in the Europa League and, in turn, the only way for the Premier League to retain its lofty standing in Europe.