Is it me or does The Echo look to be stirring more shit lately?
Or perhaps there’s just more shit to stir?
Originally posted by Optimus trousers
Sourced from Daily Echo article
Saints’ Chinese takeover could still happen - despite the end of exclusivity period
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A PROPOSED £200m takeover of Saints by Chinese investors could yet happen - despite the six-week period of exclusivity ending.
It was revealed back in early November that Lander Sports Development had opened talks with Saints owner Katharina Liebherr over a potential purchase.
The China-based company reportedly entered a six-week period of exclusivity shortly after.
That deadline passed with no formal offer being made - either to take over Southampton FC as a whole, or just to buy a stake in the club with Liebherr remaining as the majority owner.
That latter example is what has happened at Manchester City, where a Chinese consortium, CMC, paid £265m for a 13 per cent stake in City Football Group - the company that own the football club - in December 2015.
The Daily Echo understands that Liebherr could have easily sold the club for a substantial profit in the past couple of years.
But she will only sell if she considers it is in the best long-term interest of Saints.
While she is not actively seeking to sell the club she inherited after the death of her father Markus in August 2010, she will undertake her own due diligence on any prospective buyers.
The interest from Lander Sports Development may still be in its embryonic stages, but the lack of development in recent weeks does not mean any deal is dead.
Ownership changes involving Far Eastern businesses are often drawn-out affairs.
A prime example of that is Trillion Trophy Asia’s takeover of Championship side Birmingham City in October, which came 16 months after the group were given a two-year exclusivity period.
But is also unclear what foundation Lander’s interest has compared to other approaches for Saints Liebherr has turned down.
Rules for Chinese businesses that are planning to make an investment, such as the one initiated by Lander, means they have to declare any proposal to the stock exchange in China.
Subsequently, even the smallest of activity has to be published.
A takeover by Chinese investors may well be welcomed by Saints supporters, with many fans despondent over the incessant selling of the club’s best players in recent years - as well as the way this season is going.
Liebherr has taken the club to hear heart, regularly flying in to attend Saints fixtures and functions.
There has been huge success during her reign, with Saints extremely healthy financially and managing to produce record breaking finishes in the last three Premier League seasons.
However, this season has marked, for the first time in this current era, a perceived decline in the club’s progress on the field under Claude Puel’s stewardship.
In addition, fans have been complaining about Puel’s rotation, tactics and lack of entertainment served up.
As a result, there would have been fresh excitement with rich, new owners coming in.
English clubs with Chinese owners, however, have found the transition can have its problems.
Birmingham’s new Chinese owners Trillion Trophy Asia wasted little time in sacking popular manager Gary Rowett and replacing him with a headline-grabbing appointment in Gianfranco Zola.
But so far Zola has led the team to three defeats and a draw in his four games in charge.
Consequently, they’ve drifted into the bottom half of the Championship.
Likewise, the big-name appointment of Roberto Di Matteo at Aston Villa by Chinese owner Tony Xia was a failure.
The Italian, who led West Bromwich Albion to promotion to the Premier League in 2009/10, spent £51m of Xia’s millions in the transfer window – more than Milan, Napoli and Real Madrid added together - but managed to record just one Championship win in his 12 games in charge.
Wolves had a similar experience with their Chinese owners, Fosun International.
Fosun sacked Kenny Jackett after three seasons in charge, eight days after taking ownership of the club, and installed a more glamorous name in Walter Zenga, the former Italy international.
He was sacked after just 87 days in charge.
Inter Milan, who Saints played in the Europa League group stages, had a similar experience as boss Frank de Boer was sacked by the club’s Chinese owners Suning Commerce Group after just 85 days in charge.
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