Is Katharina Liebherr having doubts regarding selling a share of Saints to Lander Holdings ? Arron Sanders looks at the latest rumours surrounding a deal that has been mooted for over six months now. Arron Sanders reports.

Gao Jisheng of Lander Sports Development who are behind a bid to take over Southampton Football Club was quoted by Reuters on Friday that the deal was being held up and that he wasn't sure if the current owner still wanted to sell, casting fresh doubts over negotiations.

Chinese based Lander have been in protracted talks to buy Saints from Katharina Liebherr since the start of the year, but the deal has hit several snags along the way, including Lander's Chinese stock market listed unit pulling out of the deal in April.

Gao stated the following:

'It is not clear at the moment. The seller is having second thoughts about selling the club,' although Gao who was attending an event in Beijing would not comment further on the deal.

The Premier League had given the Lander owner clearance to take an 80 percent stake in Southampton's holding company in June according to reports.

However, overseas investments have become riskier business this year amid a crackdown by regulators on 'irrational' spending overseas, including in sport.

This was highlighted when the takeover of Italian side Inter Milan was scrutinised on Chinese TV recently.

Last month Saints Chairman Ralph Kreuger stated that the proposed takeover would not affect the clubs business over the summer including in the transfer market.

However the lack of activity at St Mary's have caused some supporters to question this claim by Kreuger.

With the new heavier scrutiny within the Chinese market on foreign investment perhaps Katharina is simply just not comfortable that Lander have the financial means to take the club forward as previously thought.

Or could be a new mystery party have registered an interest in the club causing her to put the brakes on the deal with Lander?

As ever the latest reports leave us with many questions and it will be interesting to see how things develop from here.

What do you all make of this whole Chinese takeover saga? would you like a deal to be done with Lander at all?

Photo: Action Images

SaintBen added 12:44 - Jul 21 I suspect that Katharina is still looking to sell the 80% stake, but perhaps now looking at other options... It was always a little concerning that Lander had to 'raise the funds' for the purchase, leaving many Saints fans to wonder just how much money that had to back it up long-term...
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cooksareus added 12:48 - Jul 21 This is a non story, Katherine Leibherr has shown a commitment to this club a few supporters should follow.
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bstokesaint added 13:03 - Jul 21 I really hope Lander are pulling out or facing proper investment opposition. There is no way that these guys can take the club forward. What we really need is a billionaire individual who is passionate about football and that could make their club SFC. Basically another Markus. Kat's done a fantastic job in more than steadying the ship but (understandably) I wouldn't expect her heart to be in it long-term. It wasn't her big project after all. It really can't be too hard to market a club like Southampton. I'm biased I know but there is a lot of potential still to be explored.

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LordDZLucan added 13:06 - Jul 21 My guess is that Kattherina has raised the selling price. Premier League football clubs must be worth more now given all the money they seem to be able to spend on new players. That is except us of course! That is the real issue at the moment. Our net spend on new players is currently circa minus £6m and time is running out.
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IWOZTHERE added 14:27 - Jul 21 Does Ralph really expect us to believe that it's 'business as usual' while this deal is pending? That the movement of large sums of money in or out aren't subject to pre-conditions? It's a dangerous game for us to leave our transfer business so late. We may be down to our third or fourth choices in respect of some targets. Even if that's not the case, it gives less time for MP to work with new players. God knows what will happen if the VVD situation 'kicks off' at the last minute. Is Caceres still available?

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PoDunker1949 added 15:20 - Jul 21 If these rumours are true I will be delighted. The history and therefore reputation of the Chinese ventures around the world are terrible. They do deals for what they want to get, and then leave without consideration for what they leave behind after having 'harvested' what they came for, or abandon their projects altogether when they don't turn out the way they hope. Centuries of isolation from the rest of the world have made them very inward looking and with little concern for others. If Saints can avoid being swallowed by the Chinese there is genuine cause for celebration.

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helpineedsomebody added 16:06 - Jul 21 you can either afford to run the club or not being a billion air why does she need to go to a bank & borrow money being a good custodion of the club does not mean leaving the club in dedt of over 200 million pounds plus thats half of manchester utd dedt & they have to pay one & half million pounds per week in interest charges i fear southampton would never recover from this if she sells somebody needs to give here a realty check we are never going to be a top 4 side nor are we atop 6 side why becouse since 1885 weve lacked one thing investment/ money if i was here i would stay for the long haul& pass this great club to her children & let them see what fantastic fans they have thats the southampton way

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the_saint added 16:42 - Jul 21 Hanging on until she banks the dosh from the VVD sell, then it will all go through
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