Who Is The Current Owner Of Southampton F.C.?

Southampton Football Club is a professional team based in Southampton, Hampshire, England. They currently compete in the Premier League after gaining promotion from the 2024 EFL Championship play-off final.

The club’s home ground is St Mary’s Stadium, where they’ve played since 2001. Founded in 1885, Southampton was originally a church team called St. Mary’s. They are known as “The Saints” due to their origins.

Southampton won several league titles and the FA Cup in 1976. After being relegated in 2023, they returned to the Premier League in 2024 with promotion. Southampton also shares a fierce rivalry with Portsmouth.

Southampton F.C Ownership History

Southampton Football Club began as a team formed by members of St. Mary’s Church, and for over a hundred years, the church council was in charge.

This provided stability during the club’s early years, but it also came with challenges. One of the biggest moments during this time was when the team won the FA Cup in 1976.

However, as time went on, the club started to face financial problems, and by 2009, it ended up in administration. In 2009, Swiss businessman Markus Liebherr bought Southampton Football Club, saving it from financial collapse.

Within just two seasons, Southampton returned to the Premier League. Under his ownership, Southampton showed real promise, and fans were excited about the direction the club was heading.

After Markus Liebherr’s sudden passing in 2010, his daughter Katharina Liebherr took over the club’s ownership. Southampton continued to perform well in the Premier League, regularly finishing in the top half of the table.

The club’s academy also produced many talented players who went on to have successful careers. In 2017, Southampton reached the EFL Cup final, although they lost to Manchester United.

Still, Katharina’s time in charge was seen as a successful period for the club. In 2017, Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng bought an 80% stake in the club from Katharina Liebherr for a reported £180-200 million.

At first, his purchase was seen as a positive move for Southampton. However, Gao’s time in charge became controversial.

He didn’t invest as much money into the club, and his lack of involvement with fans led to growing frustration among supporters.

Who Is The Current Owner Of Southampton F.C.?

The current owner of Southampton F.C. is Sport Republic, a sports investment firm based in London. This company was founded by Rasmus Ankersen and Henrik Kraft.

Dragan Šolak, who is a notable investor, is the lead investor in the company. Sport Republic became the majority owner of Southampton in January 2022 when they bought an 80% stake from Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng.

The company’s goal is to create a model where they own multiple football clubs, much like what City Football Group has done with its clubs. However, Sport Republic is aiming for a smaller-scale version of this model.

Since taking over Southampton, Sport Republic has focused on making changes to improve the club. One of their main goals has been to build a strong squad, and they made several new signings during the 2022-2023 season.

They brought in young talent to strengthen the team, and many of the new players were purchased to improve the club’s future. However, there were some challenges along the way.

Southampton’s performance on the field was not great, and the team found itself in the relegation zone in the Premier League. As a result, the club made changes to its management, including the firing of Ralph Hasenhüttl and the hiring of new managers.

Despite the difficulties, Sport Republic continued to invest in the club, bringing in more players in the January transfer window to help Southampton avoid relegation. However, in May 2023, Southampton were relegated to the EFL Championship.

After this, the company made changes to the club’s management and senior staff. They also appointed a new manager, Russell Martin, in June 2023. Sport Republic also has stakes in other football clubs.

They bought a 70% share in Turkish club Göztepe in August 2022, and they became the majority owners of French club Valenciennes in 2023.

How Much Is Southampton F.C. Squad Worth?

Southampton F.C.’s squad is currently valued at €306.70 million in total. This value includes all the players in their team, which consists of 32 players. The squad has an average age of 26.1 years, showing a mix of young and experienced players.

Half of the squad, or about 16 players, are from other countries, which adds international talent to the team. Additionally, 11 players from the team also represent their countries at the national level.

Looking closer at the market value of some key players, there are a few standout names. For example, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, a 22-year-old center-back, has a value of €25 million.

Another key player is Kyle Walker-Peters, a right-back, also valued at €20 million. In midfield, Lesley Ugochukwu, who plays as a defensive midfielder, is worth €25 million, making him another valuable asset to the team.

In terms of attacking players, Adam Armstrong, a 27-year-old center-forward, has a market value of €16 million. Meanwhile, Cameron Archer, another center-forward, is valued at €14 million.

Southampton also has young talent, such as Tyler Dibling, an 18-year-old winger, who is already valued at €22 million.

Currently, Southampton’s transfer record stands at €-75.56 million. This tells that the club has spent more on bringing in players than it has earned from selling them.

Ken Anucha

Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.