Malta’s top flight football teams agreed on Tuesday night to hold talks with former prime minister Joseph Muscat to become the head of a body representing them.

Times of Malta is informed that Malta’s Premier League clubs decided to formally approach Muscat to be the next chairman of the Malta Professional Football Clubs Association (MPFCA).  

However, sources said at least two clubs of the 12 members had reserved the right to put forward other names to be approached for the position. It is understood that Valletta and Gudja are exploring the possibility of having alternative candidates. 

If appointed to the MPFCA, it would be his first public appointment since stepping down from office amid a political crisis linked to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. 

The footballing body was set up last year, with the ultimate aim of hiving off responsibility for running the Premier League - currently managed by the Malta Football Association. 

It is made up of the 12 presidents of Malta’s Premier League clubs and is meant to safeguard their interests.  

In the interim, current chairman Robert Micallef will retain the post.  Micallef is the president of Santa Lucia FC. 

In 2020, Times of Malta had reported that Muscat met with top MFA officials at their headquarters in Ta’Qali to discuss a project to send a Maltese team to compete in the Italian Serie C.

That fell through as Muscat was still an MP and the MFA’s rules prohibit parliamentarians from occupying a role within the association. He stepped down from the House a few months later. 

During his final speech as prime minister, Muscat had also suggested he would be transitioning to the sporting community.