Southampton reportedly subject of £190 million takeover bid from Chinese company

Southampton is the subject of a £190 million takeover bid from Chinese company Lander Sports Development according to reports from The Times.

It was announced in January that Lander Sports Development had agreed to buy a smaller stake in the club. However, those negotiations ended unsuccessfully and no buy out materialised.

This report is different. The Times believes this improved offer has met the expectations of Saints' present owner, Katharina Liebherr, into giving up her entire 100% stake of the football club.

There has been no noise or confirmation of this report being true coming from the club as yet.

Despite heavy Chinese investment in the sport, which has seen various consortiums from the country own minority and majority ownership in top European clubs such as Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan.

As of writing, West Bromwich Albion is the only Premier League club with Chinese ownership, following a takeover from construction magnate Guochuan Lai, who is worth an estimated £4.4 billion.

Lai bought West Brom in July 2016 for a figure between £150-£200 million.