Lander Sports in Southampton takeover?

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On November 3rd, the London Times newspaper broke the news that a Chinese company planned to spend £ 200 million on acquiring the Premier League team, Southampton FC. That company is rumoured to be Hangzhou Lander Sports Development Co., Ltd. and Katherina Liebherr, the German owner and Chair of the club, is said to be in negotiations with Lander Sports on the equity transaction.

In May of this year, Zhejiang businessman Xiajian Tong spent about 60 million pounds on the acquisition of a famous old English team, Aston Villa, at present languishing in the Championship. Now the Chinese are aiming at a club in the world's top football league. If the deal goes through, Southampton will become the fifth British football club that has had a Chinese capital investment. It will be the second acquired by Zhejiang businessmen and also the second Premier League team to be acquired by Chinese owners, following West Bromwich Albion.

Nicknamed "The Saints", Southampton have been playing in the Premier League for many years. Kevin Keegan, Alan Shearer and other England superstars have played for the team. However, it is their excellent youth training system that the club is best known for.

Gareth Bale, now playing for Real Madrid, and Luke Shaw, now with Manchester United, started their football careers at St. Marys. Southampton are one of the top clubs in terms of its training system. The club finished sixth last season in the Premiership and qualified for the Europa League. Only this week they had a famous victory over Inter Milan in that competition and look likely to qualify for the next stage. 

Proofread by Sean O Diobhilin