Peter Lawwell has spoken of his desire to help Celtic fulfil what he sees as their potential to become the biggest club in world football.

The Parkhead chief executive raised eyebrows at the club's Annual General Meeting today when stating that the SPFL Premiership champions could become the most powerful team on the planet with the kind of media-related revenue that is available to clubs in the English Premier League.

Lawwell was appointed to the board of the influential European Club Association earlier this year and reported that he was "probably more hopeful now than ever that there will be some kind of structural change that will benefit bigger clubs in smaller nations".

He reported himself unwilling to detail the exact nature of the discussions that have taken place over new cross-border leagues and competitions, but made no secret of his view that some method of helping Celtic become a bona-fide superpower in his lifetime can be found.

"We will be working on it," he said. "I hope so."

Lawwell's view of where Celtic should rank in global terms was summed up in one sentence issued to shareholders inside the Kerrydale Suite at Celtic Park.

"If Celtic played in a media environment with the value of the English Premier League, we would be the biggest club in the world," he stated.

Quizzed afterwards about quite how firmly that remark is rooted in reality, the 55-year-old was unrepentant.

"I believe that," said Lawwell. "If you go back 25 years and compare us to Manchester United before the media and revenue boom, there probably wasn't much in it.

"I think our story is unique. It is rich and it is the best. I think we have a potential fanbase with the Scots and Irish diaspora around the world that would support that.

"We have fantastic, strong fundamentals here in Scotland from our fanbase, so, if you compare Celtic to Manchester United or Arsenal, I don't see any barrier if we were getting the same media values they are getting."

Lawwell was similarly bullish when asked about whether Celtic could be considered as potentially bigger than the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"We are similar," he said. "The media values in England will outweigh the media values in Spain or Germany or at least be similar.

"If it was a level playing field, with our strong fundamentals in terms of tradition, history and story to tell, I don't see any reason why we couldn't be."

Lawwell also used the AGM to promise one shareholder that Celtic would not, under any circumstances, become involved in any "dodgy deals" to get Rangers back into the SPFL Premiership should they fail to win promotion this season.

Gordon Strachan, the Scotland manager, suggested in a recent television appearance that the authorities could "manipulate it" to put the Ibrox club, Hearts and Hibernian back into the top division, but Lawwell regards that as wholly unacceptable.

"I love Gordon dearly," he said. "He is a pal, but he is way off the mark there. We would never support that. There have been no discussions on it.

"If you go back to the application from Rangers to get back into the SPFL, the same logic is being applied.

"It's sporting integrity. It's a sporting football competition and, above all else, you have to apply the rules.

"To manipulate those would be wrong. There would be clubs that would benefit, but others would suffer."

In pointing out that Celtic "will ensure sporting integrity is maintained" during the AGM, Lawwell also stated that the club have a policy of remaining quiet on issues regarded as inflammatory because "only two or three years ago, there were bombs and bullets through the post."

He qualified his comments, relating to threats received by former manager Neil Lennon and ex-players Paddy McCourt and Niall McGinn in 2011, in a press conference later held in the boardroom.

"Some of our supporters get frustrated that Celtic don't stand up for the club and don't protect the supporters and look after their interests," he explained. "The point I was making was that we do.

"We just don't publicise it because we have a responsibility to fans and our staff and we don't think it is responsible to fan the flames. When we can avoid it, we will avoid it."

Lawwell has also raised concerns over the growing influence of the Newcastle United owner, Mike Ashley, at Rangers. Lawwell serves on the Scottish Football Association's Professional Game Board and is well aware of guidelines relating to dual interests in clubs.

"I think, potentially, there is [a conflict of interests]," he said. "However, I'm sure the SFA and other authorities will scrutinise, analyse and do the right thing.

"It does not concern me at the moment, but, potentially, I think everyone would agree with me that it could."