With the news that Lander Holdings Gao Jisheng is struggling to pass the fit and proper test for the Premier League more information is emerging about a potential rival ready to step in.

Paul Nicholson of Inside World Football claims that Lander's problems have been due to thewith getting money out of China with the government tightening up on letting money go out of the country for what they see as overpriced investments.

But if that problem was not enough he also has the fact he hasn't yet got the money raised and the Premier league fit and proper test to contend with.

However according to Nicholson the consortium bidding to take over the running to buy Saints is not just Chinese based but also has Hong Kong investors and the former British Colony being a financial hub, does not have the restrictions of China itself.

The identity of those involved has not yet been revealed, but they seem to be briefing media sources on their intentions.

The advisors on the acquisition are Blackbridge Cross Borders, a financial advisory firm led by Alexander Jarvis that specialises in sports deals and has a strong focus on Chinese football investment via its sports division.

Founder of the company Jarvis commented on his twitter feed this morning.

"Gao Jisheng has had his bid for Southampton blocked by the Premier League after an investigation linked him to bribery and execution. Ouch"

Even though Gao the man at the centre of the Premier League's concerns failed the Premier League tests, even if he had passed it was looking unlikely that he had the money to proceed at his disposal. In recent weeks he had been prospecting in mainland China for new investing partners.

With Katharina Liebherr publicly stating she would not just sell the club to anyone and that she would look carefully at any prospective owner, it could be that she is getting cold feet about Lander, although it is in her interests to play her cards close to her chest and not say a lot at present either way.

The new kids on the block are being rumoured to be ready to pay Katharina Liebherr £225 million to secure Saints although like the Lander deal the exact details are sketchy at present and it is still unclear if this would be for the whole club or just a portion of it and if so how much.

Photo: Action Images

patred added 17:28 - Apr 27 The orignal Landers deal was for 80% of the club. Is this new deal for the same percentage? I hope so! I would like the Liebherr family to remain part of Southampton FC. They are more like benificaries our our club, and were there when we needed them most. They are part and parcel of the Saints family.
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sidsaint added 18:28 - Apr 27 What concerns me is why we did not pick up from our own due dilligence in the beginning of negotiations when we gave Lander a period of exclusivity, the illegal background of people involved with the Landers deal. Surely w e have ended up with egg on our face after being "rescued" by the premier league.
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FaroSaint added 19:32 - Apr 27 Should the reports be true this potential investor would be the very worst thing to happen to Saints fc and I sincerely hope it fails. Basically the club would be taken over by a crook a far cry from the Leibherr family . I hope it fails !!!
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undertoomers added 22:49 - Apr 27 I think I'm the only Saints supporter who remember's that we were relegated 43 years ago today!.
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SanMarco added 23:57 - Apr 27 We won 3-0 at Everton though undertoomers. But if I remember correctly Birmingham came back to beat Norwich 2-1...
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highfield49 added 08:00 - Apr 28 I'm still confused about the financial state of the club. Is this investment designed to take us onto the next step or is it a desperate measure to keep the club afloat? The implication is that we can't stand still and rely on the policy of buying players on the cheap and selling them at a profit. On the other hand are we trying to get money in to ensure that the players on long term contracts remain with us and can be supplemented by quality squad additions? Then again is the money destined for ground expansion? I accept that significant Liebherr funding is not going to be available but is the family business not able to do what the tainted Chinese are doing and raise funds elsewhere? If the Chinese have to borrow the money to put into the club why are they even being considered as investors? Is it not possible for the board to explain the situation to the supporters? If it means waiting one or two years to find an investor with some integrity and accept mid table finishes in the interim then so be it, what all of us don't want to see is another financial catastrophe from unaccountable financial cowboys.

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SaintBrock added 10:53 - Apr 28 Your headline is totally misleading Nick, even the existence of a new bidder is hypothetical and pure conjecture so how can there be more information about something or somebody that may or may not exist? This is election time so we are used to hyperbole but this non-article takes the flippin' biscuit! One thing's for sure, we'll never have an owner like Marcus again unless Leon Crouch can turn his millions into billions but as he's probably well retired by now, can't see that happening in a hurry. Still, I liked Leon Crouch and what he did for us even if it was small beer by today's standards. if you're out there mate. good on ya!

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SaintBrock added 10:55 - Apr 28 I understand the Leibherr's did their own 'due diligence' and the club management were not involved.
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garethhartwell added 16:18 - May 2 Saints published their accounts recently. They are making a small profit and starting to pay off their debt (much of which is owed to KL). We only need new investment if KL wants to sell to get her money back or if we think buying more expensive players would help us to get to the next level (Champions' League etc)
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