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Rumours of takeover/investment interest


eling-saint

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Interesting that Bloomberg are running with it. Not known for gossip so probably some credence to the story in some shape or form.

 

I don't know mate - they write content to fill up terminals to justify the $24,000/year price tag. I see loads of crap written by them all day flashing up in front of me.

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Worth noting that Lander recently suspended trading on the Shenzhen stock market.

 

It has done so because it's undergoing a massive reorganisation (not because it's broken the law!) which frequently happens in China ahead of an an acquisition, transaction or some other internal change.

 

My understanding is that it's not a particularly well known company (nothing like Wanda), though it attracted £5bn in private equity investment to enter the sports industry.

 

It currently runs a few basketball tournaments, owns a women's football team (nothing major), so speculating somewhat guess its looking at investments to move the dial.

Edited by shurlock
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Martyn Ziegler ‏@martynziegler (Chief Sports Writer for The Times)

Southampton in talks over [another] PL Chinese takeover, reports @tariqpanja - period of exclusivity with Lander Sports Development Co...

 

Martin Tooth ‏@Toothy73 (BBC News Digital Journalist and Saints Fan)

The same @tariqpanja who said influx of Chinese money "has predictably brought out a number of spivs claiming to be 'global dealmakers'."

 

tariq panja‏@tariqpanja (chap at Bloomberg who broke the story)

@Toothy73 and maintain that position. it certainly has

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Worth noting that Lander recently suspended trading on the Shenzhen stock market.

 

It has done so because it's undergoing a massive reorganisation (not because it's broken the law!) which frequently happens in China ahead of an an acquisition, transaction or some other internal change.

 

My understanding is that it's not a particularly well known company (nothing like Wanda), though it attracted £5bn in private equity investment to enter the sports industry.

 

It currently runs a few basketball tournaments, owns a women's football team etc, so guess it looks at investments to move the dial.

 

Wouldn't it be more likely they are working as an agent on behalf of some rich client who doesn't want their name out there until the deal is done?

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Well, there's a coincidence.... a new company incorporated in the UK last week called "LANDER SPORTS (UK) INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT CO., LTD" with Jisheng Gao (Chairman of the the Lander Sports Development company in China) appointed director...

 

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10449153

 

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10449153/filing-history/MzE2MDcxODc0MWFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0

Edited by trousers
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It would not surprise me in the least if our current owner wanted to sell now. She inherited the club after her father died and has done a lot for us since, but I doubt she is a football fan. The club is seen as performing at above the level it should, high finishes in the prem the last couple of seasons and in Europe at the moment, despite selling our best players (for massive profits) and losing two managers. It would appear that now would be an excellent time to sell the club if she wants too, from a financial perspective. China is also where investment money is coming from at the moment for all sorts of company takeovers. Whatever happens us fans will have no say in the matter anyway!

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As long as they don't try to change the badge, the kit colour, re-brand anything, sack managers every week, try globalise us in Asia so our ground is full of tourists, throw 10s of millions at big name players, increase ticket prices, block out ex-players and try erode history of the club, disengage with fans etc etc etc, then fine.

 

Judging by past and current history of foreign ownership in the main (we're very lucky at the moment), then it's not likely.

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Well, there's a coincidence.... a new company incorporated in the UK last week called "LANDER SPORTS (UK) INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT CO., LTD" with Jisheng Gao (Chairman of the the Lander Sports Development company in China) appointed director...

 

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10449153

 

 

 

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/10449153/filing-history/MzE2MDcxODc0MWFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0

 

 

I think these companies have been incorporated by Norton Rose, a city law firm who are likely acting for them in this, if the registered address is anything to go by. If that's right then they are certainly quite far into looking at some kind of acquisition. You wouldn't normally bother incorporating a new company to make an acquisition unless you were relatively deep into negotiations. Doesn't mean it'll definitely happen though.

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Spot on. I think she has protected her father's legacy above and beyond what most would have done. I also would say "no". I was watching a bit of the Man City vs Barca yesterday, before falling asleep, and I really wondered what the teams had in connection with the city save for it being a base. Maybe not so much with Barca, but City really has very little to do with Manchester. I guess football is going that way, but at least we have players coming through the academy. JWP and McQueen are both local boys who have been with the club for ever and have played in the 1st team. That to me is football. Would another investor, especially from China, really want to continue that??

 

Our current (foreign) owners do. Why would Chinese owners be especially unlikely to?

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I am not enthusiastic about this partly because the article in question does not seem to describe a thriving company capable of dealing with the financial reality of life in Premier League football. Saints are a rarity in that the business model so far seems to create reasonable success without the massive capital expended by rich "sugar daddy" owners, and from my reading of the article it is this that makes them attractive to Lander. I suppose I'll wait and see but I would also be sad to see the Liebherr name go. For me it stands for one of the most positive developments in the club's history.

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Would be a "no" from me, can't get much better owners than we currently have.

 

But they were never going to own us for ever, this was always on the horizon sooner or later I guess.

 

Spot on.

 

Depends on how much of a 'hand on approach' they have.

 

If it is similar to what we currently have (except willing to pump more of their own money in) and keep the same footballing decision makers, I wouldn't be too against this.

 

If/When she does finally sell, I would hope that Kat has enough about her, to sell to it a buyer in the clubs best interest, not just to the highest bidder!

 

Rather reluctantly I have to agree, but my preference is to maintain the stability of the Liebherr ownership.

 

Although Leicester obviously buck the trend, the Far Eastern ownership does not look too great an attraction although its early days for Wolves, Villa and so on.

 

Beware of SISU MK II.

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Matt Saxby ‏@Mattsax13 (July 2016)

Should be news soon. Not players/managers coming but Leibherrs selling and new buyers already doing club checks. Heard it here 1st #saintsfc

 

Matt Saxby ‏@Mattsax13 (Sept 2016)

I stand by this. Heard more that Leibherr wants to sell. Maybe end of the season if buyers agree #saintsfc

 

Matt Saxby ‏@Mattsax13 (today)

This backs up what I have said since July. Likely KL will sell http://readsouthampton.com/2016/11/02/southampton-in-talks-over-200m-deal/ … #saintsfc

 

Matt Saxby ‏@Mattsax13 (today)

In July buyers used Deloitte to check on clubs finances. Few weeks ago KL was seen having talks with Chinese consortium. #saintsfc

 

(I've no idea who Matt Saxby is but he appears to have some ITK credentials....perhaps?)

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I had a queasy feeling that this might happen when Kreuger did so well at the World Cup of Hockey.

 

He was already well regarded in the sport but his coaching at the World Cup took this to a new level and made him a very hot property - a top-line candidate for a big coaching or management position, probably in the NHL.

 

If he has told Katharina that he would like, at some point, to go back to what is probably his first love, she would be losing the only person she completely trusts within the club.

 

If we add that to the sort of number being bandied about, I'd be very surprised if she didn't sell.

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I had a queasy feeling that this might happen when Kreuger did so well at the World Cup of Hockey.

 

He was already well regarded in the sport but his coaching at the World Cup took this to a new level and made him a very hot property - a top-line candidate for a big coaching or management position, probably in the NHL.

 

If he has told Katharina that he would like, at some point, to go back to what is probably his first love, she would be losing the only person she completely trusts within the club.

 

If we add that to the sort of number being bandied about, I'd be very surprised if she didn't sell.

 

New coach for the Oilers then?

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As long as they don't try to change the badge, the kit colour, re-brand anything, sack managers every week, try globalise us in Asia so our ground is full of tourists, throw 10s of millions at big name players, increase ticket prices, block out ex-players and try erode history of the club, disengage with fans etc etc etc, then fine.

 

Judging by past and current history of foreign ownership in the main (we're very lucky at the moment), then it's not likely.

 

Don't you think Saints & Leicester are possible exceptions to the rule though ?

 

Think Venky's, Tan, Hull City, Villa (Lerner), and so on.

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Don't you think Saints & Leicester are possible exceptions to the rule though ?

 

Think Venky's, Tan, Hull City, Villa (Lerner), and so on.

 

There are a lot less success stories compared though.

 

Not all rosy for Leicester anyway, they had to have a minutes silence for the king of Thailand the other week.... What a load of sh*t

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There are a lot less success stories compared though.

 

Not all rosy for Leicester anyway, they had to have a minutes silence for the king of Thailand the other week.... What a load of sh*t

 

:lol: I'd take that for champions league football!

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As long as they don't try to change the badge, the kit colour, re-brand anything, sack managers every week, try globalise us in Asia so our ground is full of tourists, throw 10s of millions at big name players, increase ticket prices, block out ex-players and try erode history of the club, disengage with fans etc etc etc, then fine.

 

Judging by past and current history of foreign ownership in the main (we're very lucky at the moment), then it's not likely.

Many foreign owners are ****, some foreign owners are good. However, many British owners are also ****, while some are good. The odds generally aren't weighted in favour of a "good" owner, especially in the way the Liebherrs have performed here, regardless of nationality.

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Wouldn't it be more likely they are working as an agent on behalf of some rich client who doesn't want their name out there until the deal is done?

 

Possibly though they're a company in their own right and have attracted significant funding (£5bn). The investors are CCB international and more interestingly 黄龙 which is the main investor in Hangzhou Greentown football club and has the stadium named after it. As with most things in China, while ostensibly independent, it is funded by the local government (Zhejiang). The club was relegated last season from the top flight but is the main team in China's richest province.

Edited by shurlock
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No surprise at all. Guess that Ralph is on his way out, and there seems to have been a complete lack of any activity by Kat/Ralph recently. Other than the transfer business not much has been happening in terms of development of the Club recently. Not a fan of investors from the Far East, but if its gong to happen lets get it done sooner rather than later.

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Let's also not lose sight of the likelihood that Liebherr has spoken to many interested parties over the years, and that every previous interest has ended without anything happening. Potentially the only difference here is that the interest got leaked to the press.

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Sums up the mentality of a modern football fan.

 

Just turn up to the ground a couple of minutes late or spend an extra minute having a beer on the concourse... that's generally what I do for a minutes silence I don't agree with.

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Getting a few PMs asking for my thoughts on this so here goes....

 

Has Les and Kathryn taken us as far as they can and will? Imho YES

 

Will new owners take us up a level? No guarantees but why spend £200m to take us down a level?

 

Do we have more chance of keeping our best players and managers under new owners? Yes (can't get much worse)

 

Do I appreciate everything Kat and Les have done - yes I wish them well and thank them

 

Am I excited for change? Yes as the alternative is mid table prem and selling best players every summer

 

Thanks

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Getting a few PMs asking for my thoughts on this so here goes....

 

Has Les and Kathryn taken us as far as they can and will? Imho YES

 

Will new owners take us up a level? No guarantees but why spend £200m to take us down a level?

 

Do we have more chance of keeping our best players and managers under new owners? Yes (can't get much worse)

 

Do I appreciate everything Kat and Les have done - yes I wish them well and thank them

 

Am I excited for change? Yes as the alternative is mid table prem and selling best players every summer

 

Thanks

 

Heard you've got the five live gig later on, pal.

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