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Southampton: Alex Crook talks club’s recent takeover

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Image for Southampton: Alex Crook talks club’s recent takeover

TalkSport journalist Alex Crook has provided some more information on Southampton and their recent takeover.

It was announced yesterday that the Saints had been taken over by Sport Republic, a group owned by Serbian businessman Dragan Solak. The deal brings an end to the reign of Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng, who had previously bought the club back in 2017.

Speaking on TalkSport, Crook claimed that the figure for the takeover was actually a lot higher than the £100m that other outlets were reporting, before divulging some more information as it pertained to what the club is going to look like moving forward.

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He said: “I’m told the deal is worth £250m, so quite a lot more than the £100m that has been reported elsewhere.

“The bulk of the cash is being provided by the Serbian media tycoon Dragan Solak, and the real football expertise comes from Rasmus Ankersen in particular.

“And I think what we’ve seen with the way that he did business at Brentford, this Moneyball system, that will really be an extension of what Southampton have been doing anyway in the transfer market – they tend to pick up young talent and sell them on for substantial profit, I think that will continue.”

TIF Thoughts on Alex Crook’s comments about Southampton and their takeover…

Will Southampton make a signing this January?

Yes

Yes

No

No

Based on Crook’s comments, it doesn’t look as if there is going to be much significant change to the way the club is run from an investment side of things.

That could be rather worrying for Southampton fans to hear, because it sounds as if it’s going to be a case of the same procedures, just under a new name. Over the years, Southampton have let a number of big players move on to bigger clubs, but in return, all they’ve managed to get is mid-table mediocrity for the most part.

Surely there has to come a time for the club’s owners themselves to start taking some responsibility for things and putting their own money in to try and take the club forward, or the Saints could just end up in this cycle forever.

In other news: ‘I’m led to believe’ – Journalist reveals stories are not true in behind-scenes Saints claim

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Freelance sports journalist & broadcaster.