Saints sold to Sport Republic

He has only bought Gao's 80%. Katherina is keeping her 20%.

 

I love how quiet the club have been able to keep this.

 

Anyone able to paste the full article from this: https://theathletic.com/news/southampton-to-announce-takeover/Ndlk4y7EUNEU/

 

Southampton to announce takeover
By Dan Sheldon

4 January 2022Updated 13:12 GMT

2 Comments

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Southampton are close to announcing a takeover of the club.



The Athletic understands Gao Jisheng, the majority shareholder, has completed a deal to sell his 80 per cent stake in the club.



It was revealed last month that two parties were advanced in their negotiations to purchase the Chinese businessman’s share.



And it is understood that a formal agreement has now been reached with new owners.



Ralph Hasenhuttl and the players have been informed.



(Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

How did the deal come about?
The Athletic reported last month how there was confidence within the industry that Southampton would be taken over by the end of December. In the end, it happened four days later, but last month was key to the deal being completed.



Talks intensified over the past four weeks and a takeover was formally agreed just after Christmas, with Gao selling his 80 per cent share in the football club.



Southampton were on the market for around 18-24 months — sources previously pointed to Gao’s high asking price as a reason it’s taken so long to get over the line — and have attracted a fair share of interest.



But potential buyers had been put off by the coronavirus pandemic and then the threat of a European Super League.



Now, though, a deal has been agreed.

 

Thomas Frank at Brentford...

 

Having survived the Branfoot style of football and the Lower years, not often these days to be honest

I think the black box concept of analysing players, collecting videos, assessing their suitability for our style of play, researching their personal life, etc. still goes on. I just think it lost it's way a bit though the last 12 months or so have shown er'er getting back on track. The black box suggested a computed programme but in reality it was no more than a room in which the analysts worked. If anyone has down a tour of staple wood, it would be interesting to know whether the plater 'black box' is still on the door of that room.

 

Really cannot see them moving Ralph on.

 

Backgrounder on Dragan Solak:

DRAGAN SOLAK is a Serbian billionaire who has been unheard of in English football - until now.

The telecoms magnate founded and made his name with the broadband, cable and TV firm United Group and grew it to a £1.67billion pound a year company.

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Dragan Solak is a keen golf fan and has a business in the UK related to golf tourism | Credit: Getty
Now Solak is heading for the Premier League after anchoring a takeover of Southampton FC.


Who is Dragan Solak?

Solak was born in July 1964 and founded United Group, a telecoms company in 2000.

In the next eight years the company grew from a small cable operator in central Serbia to the regional leader.

United deliver broadband, mobile and Pay TV services across eight countries in the region.

His channels also have rights to Premier League football.

He is also a massive golf fan and founded Eligo, a company who promise access to exclusive golf courses worldwide and whose headquarters are in Surrey, giving him a business foothold in the UK.


What is Dragan Solak's net worth?

It is unclear how much Dragan Solak is worth but sources in Serbia claim he has assets worth just over £1billion.

The United Group website claim the company makes more than £1.67bn a year.

Serbian publication Kurir claims he stays out of the public eye and his accumulated wealth is "colossal by Serbian standards" and that he is the country's first home-grown Euro billionaire.

They claim he has a share of ownership in over 100 firms and owns a luxurious house overlooking Lake Geneva worth tens of millions of Euros as well as three private jets.

 

Especially as Semmens is staying.

 

Semmens has been very much part of the decision making process on ownership, seeking to ensure continuity. I think he will stay. If he doesn't, I won't be happy!

 

Very mysterious, do you know something we don’t?

 

Has that been confirmed?

 

Maybe they waited until January to announce the takeover so they could announce a signing at the same time....

 

Only if Ralph decides to leave will we look for another manager. But if that were to happen, Frank would be a good choice.

 

I read somewhere that he is staying so hopefully.

 

I'd be fuming., personally.. In fact.. thar would be worse than Gao staying for another 2 years tbh.

 

You joke, but that would make sense. Surely people would put the prices up if they hear we have new owners.

 

Are you speechless, Jasper?

 

Are you blind