The claims in the media suggesting that LD Sports are going to pull out of their £7.5 million a year deal with Saints could actually be positive news for Saints fans and could suggest that the club could be about to change ownership.
When Chinese Company LD Sports were announced as the main sponsor of Saints in May 2019 in a 3 year deal worth £7.5 million a year it was shrouded in controversy and secrecy, the company did not appear to exist and it's only web presence seemed to be a holding page, which soon just became little more than a site with some Saints news feed on it.
Even now the website is sketchy, initially it was suggested that LD Sports built sports grounds, as mentioned the company didn't seem to exist at the time, but now it seems their main business is training camps for kids in China, strangely the site says the company's headquarters is Southampton UK.
LD Sports, is now described as a sports content, marketing and entertainment platform in China.
Most assumed that this was just a front for Saints owner Jisheng Gao to enable him to get money into the club through sponsorship.
The disintegrating relationship between China and the West, has seen a change in policy by the Chinese government in allowing the nation's company's investing in the West, not just in sport which it has previously encouraged but in all areas.
That has been a factor in Gao's low profile of late and has led to whispers that the club is up for sale, the truth in that is that all football club's are up open for offer's , Saints included but that does not mean there is a for sale notice outside.
But the political situation would suggest that Gao would be more open to offers than most.
Indeed Wolves have been actively seeking investment for the past year, Blackburn Rovers have also confirmed their partnership with main sponsor - Chinese gambling company 10 BET - has ended and The Mail state they understand at least one other Premier League with a Chinese sponsor, is facing the same nightmare situation ahead of the new season.
The report in the Mail Online suggests that there was a break clause in the contract, but I would assume that clause would have had to be revoked on the anniversary of the deal back in May, hence that Saints went ahead in producing the shirts for the forthcoming season with LD on them.
So this move on the cusp of the new season suggests that there is a reason for the late pull out.
This site was made aware several weeks ago by a third party that they understood that the club was in talks with a potential new owner and that those talks were at an advanced stage.
This latest news could suggest that this information was correct and that if Gao is about to relinquish ownership and if LD Sports is little more than one of his companies, then if he where to sell the club why would he want to pump £7.5 million in to promote a company that barely seems to exist.
So the latest twist in the Southampton FC tale, a story that seems to never be a simple one, could actually be a positive one, part of any potential deal would be that Gao would pull the sponsorship of LD sports, but if the information I had is correct then the loss of £7.5 million a year would be small change and a new sponsor will not be difficult to find.
The Mail seem to be able to quote sources within the club, so presumably are being briefed, they say the club is already planning how to work with fans that have splashed out on the new shirt, once the LD Sports decision is made official.
In conclusion the fact that Saints have already put the new shirts on sale with LD Sports on them and even worn them in the final Premier League game of the season, suggest that the break clause was not instigated, but that something else is afoot and that something could be a change of ownership.