‘Could have been stronger’ – Michael van Gerwen blasts Premier League Darts line-up and reveals who he’d have picked

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN deed retired astatine the Premier League line-up and insisted it "could person been stronger".

Mighty Mike, 35, past revealed who helium would person fixed the motion to for the eight-player tournament.

Van Gerwen - a seven-time Premier League victor - kicked disconnected the caller 2025 run by beating Luke Littler successful their quarter-final.

The Dutchman past mislaid to Luke Humphries earlier the 2024 satellite champ downed Chris Dobey 6-1 successful a one-sided final.

Dobey and Stephen Bunting joined the line-up this twelvemonth successful spot of Michael Smith and Peter Wright.

World No6, No7 and No8 - Jonny Clayton, Dave Chisnall and Damon Heta - each missed retired connected a spot contempt their precocious rankings.

And Van Gerwen was not acrophobic to aerial his views.

Speaking to BetMGM, MVG said: “It’s an incredibly hard determination for the PDC to take the line-up – I deliberation they did well. 

“It’s rather beardown but it could person been a small spot stronger.

“I miss 1 bully subordinate – Michael Smith.

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"But extracurricular that, it’s 8 truly bully darts players and that’s what radical privation to see. 

“Moving guardant we privation to make an atmosphere, too.

"It’s important to beryllium a bully subordinate but it’s besides however you travel connected signifier and the amusement you enactment on. That’s each portion of it.

“It’s precise hard for the PDC to prime the line-up, but I inactive deliberation they did well.”

Smith bushed Van Gerwen successful the epic 2023 World Championship last but was dropped by the PDC for this year's Premier League arsenic his ranking points dropped off.

He is present down astatine 18 successful the Order of Merit and is struggling with arthritis successful his throwing hand.

Bully Boy said: "I've had it for a fewer years now. It was ever erstwhile it was winter so I thought it was conscionable the acold affecting it.

"But it conscionable keeps getting worse and worse. My wrist volition commencement swelling up and the changeless symptom wherever I can't crook it truthful it is getting a spot difficult."

On his Premier League snub, helium added: "The biggest happening present is evidently being near retired of the Premier League.

"That was the footwear up the backside I needed. Especially aft winning the worlds and past not doing what [2024 champion] Luke Humphries did - conscionable going and keeping winning.

"I benignant of took clip away. I conscionable wanted to bask myself arsenic a satellite champion.

"And I deliberation that has been my hindrance. Being near retired the Premier League, it's clip to enactment hard again."