OptiNews - Friday 21 to Thursday 27 April 2017

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Premier League meeting in bid to push forward £210m Saints takeover deal

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Representatives of Saints owner Katharina Liebherr and Lander Holdings will meet with the Premier League today in a bid to try and advance a potential £210m Chinese takeover deal for the club.

The meeting comes amid allegations surrounding Lander founder Gao Jisheng, who like all prospective owners of Premier League clubs needs to pass the so-called ‘fit and proper persons test’.

Lander Holdings are hoping to get the green light to press ahead with the deal – believed to be £210m for 80 per cent of Saints - with their subsidiary, Lander Sports, having dropped out of the running.

However, the Daily Echo understands the reason for the change is due to regulatory issues, because Lander Sports are listed on the Chinese stock exchange whereas the parent company are not.

It is believed that though Liebherr’s representatives have spoken with numerous other parties interested in investment, Lander are by far the most advanced in terms of discussions and an ability to get a deal done.

Liebherr and her team have been at the heart of the deal, rather than those in power at St Mary’s. They have carried out their own due diligence on Lander and would appear to be satisfied they are fit to carry the club forward, and indeed progress it.

In her only public statement on the talks, issued at the end of January, Liebherr wrote: “A potential partnership would need to clear multiple approvals and fulfil strict criteria before being confirmed.

“The Premier League is increasingly competitive; we need to keep moving forward and look to new markets for commercial growth, innovation and to share our journey. Together we have had many years of progression and success, and ensuring this continues is the main focus of any possible partnership.”

Liebherr is keen for the club to continue to move forward in the way her late father Markus would want, but with her personal worth estimated at around £300m-£400m – meaning any sale would have a big impact on her personal finances too - clearly will not be able to fund the kind of lavish spending required to take Saints on the next step of their journey to become regular Champion League qualifiers.

Liebherr has already proved her loyalty to Saints by loaning the club a substantial amount of money, having pumped in all but about £15m of her family’s £69m investment in Saints.

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Sourced from Daily Mail article

Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng has £200m bid for Southampton blocked

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A Chinese businessman has had his £200 million bid for Southampton blocked by the Premier League after an investigation linked him to bribery and execution.

Gao Jisheng, the founder and chairman of Lander Sports Development, was found to have gifted money and jewellery to Chinese officials - with one deputy mayor sentenced to death as a result.

It was one of a number of extraordinary bombshells which emerged as part of a due diligence investigation into the potential purchase of Southampton.

Lawyers acting for the tycoon are is expected to meet Premier League bosses to reach a final verdict on Thursday.

The Premier League Board probe found that between September 2005 and September 2007, an individual called Yu Yinlong, at his request, ‘received bribes from Gao Jisheng’.

Official Chinese sources also confirmed to investigators that between 2007 and 2008, Gao Jisheng gifted watches and jewellery totalling £70,000 ($90,000) to Xu Maiyong, the then vice mayor of Hangzhou.

On both occasions Gao Jisheng admitted bribery. The corrupt vice mayor, who awarded Lander Sports Development a number of construction deals, was sentenced to death and executed in July 2011.

Jisheng, who also appeared in the ‘Panama Papers’, was given immunity from the bribery scandal in return for his testimony.

The investigation also revealed the board had serious concerns about the funding for buying Southampton, which relied on borrowing 70 per cent of the purchase price.

It concluded: ‘In the circumstances set out above, and as I said at the outset, the PL Board is obliged to reject the PP (Proposed Purchasers) and the individuals involved.’

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsTogether

Find out how @SFC_Foundation’s Primary Stars programme is improving the provision of sport for s… https://twitter.com/i/web/status/857572837128798213

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 27/04/2017 12:50:13

| | Premier League Blocking Chinese Takeover ! But Other Offers On The Table !. - Southampton NewsTHEUGLYINSIDE |
| | FANTASYLEAGUE |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

A limited number of hospitality packages remain for #SaintsFC’s home games against #AFC and #MUFC: http://sfcne.ws/HospMUFCAFC

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Summary of non-mainstream articles: 27/04/2017 13:50:36

| | CLUBCALL |
| | Sakho’s nasty injury is huge blow to LFC’s chances of £50m Virgil van DijkEMPIREOFTHEKOP |

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Sourced from Daily Echo article

Premier League meeting in bid to push forward £210m Saints takeover deal

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Representatives of Saints owner Katharina Liebherr and Lander Holdings will meet with the Premier League today in a bid to try and advance a potential £210m Chinese takeover deal for the club.

The meeting comes amid allegations surrounding Lander founder Gao Jisheng, who like all prospective owners of Premier League clubs needs to pass the so-called ‘fit and proper persons test’.

Lander Holdings are hoping to get the green light to press ahead with the deal – believed to be £210m for 80 per cent of Saints - with their subsidiary, Lander Sports, having dropped out of the running.

However, the Daily Echo understands the reason for the change is due to regulatory issues, because Lander Sports are listed on the Chinese stock exchange whereas the parent company are not.

It is believed that though Liebherr’s representatives have spoken with numerous other parties interested in investment, Lander are by far the most advanced in terms of discussions and an ability to get a deal done.

Liebherr and her team have been at the heart of the deal, rather than those in power at St Mary’s. They have carried out their own due diligence on Lander and would appear to be satisfied they are fit to carry the club forward, and indeed progress it.

In her only public statement on the talks, issued at the end of January, Liebherr wrote: “A potential partnership would need to clear multiple approvals and fulfil strict criteria before being confirmed.

“The Premier League is increasingly competitive; we need to keep moving forward and look to new markets for commercial growth, innovation and to share our journey. Together we have had many years of progression and success, and ensuring this continues is the main focus of any possible partnership.”

Liebherr is keen for the club to continue to move forward in the way her late father Markus would want, but with her personal worth estimated at around £300m-£400m – meaning any sale would have a big impact on her personal finances too - clearly will not be able to fund the kind of lavish spending required to take Saints on the next step of their journey to become regular Champion League qualifiers.

Liebherr has already proved her loyalty to Saints by loaning the club a substantial amount of money, having pumped in all but about £15m of her family’s £69m investment in Saints.

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

“We have to improve in the right areas.”

Claude Puel wants #SaintsFC to return to winning ways against #HCAFC: http://sfcne.ws/CPonHCAFC

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Saints beaten at the Bridge

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Despite causing their opponents plenty of problems, and controlling some decent portions of the game, Claude Puel’s side could not prevent defeat against Antonio Conte’s men, who took another big step towards winning the title.

Puel said ahead of the game that he was looking for a response following a disappointing display against Manchester City last time out, and the Saints boss made two changes from that 3-0 home defeat for the trip to Stamford Bridge.

Oriol Romeu came back in from suspension for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, while Sofiane Boufal was restored to the starting line-up for the first time since early February, taking the place of Nathan Redmond, who dropped to the bench.

Despite starting well in the first few minutes, Saints fell behind to Chelsea’s first attack of the game, as Diego Costa was sent away down the inside right, before checking back in the box and cutting the ball back to Eden Hazard to sweep a superb, low shot into the far corner.

Anyone who thought that goal would signal a Blues onslaught was swiftly proved wrong, though, as it was actually the visitors who then took control.

Deservedly, Saints levelled after 24 minutes, as a James Ward-Prowse corner flicked off the head of César Azpilicueta, before falling to Manolo Gabbiadini at the back post.

Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois got a piece of the striker’s shot from a tight angle, but the ball deflected perfectly into the path of Romeu, who slotted in from six yards.

Saints continued to look dangerous after the equaliser, and nearly gained the advantage when another corner caused problems for Chelsea, with Maya Yoshida just unable to stretch far enough to head in from close range as the ball spun across the face, before the lively Boufal lashed into the side netting from an extremely tight angle.

It looked as though Puel’s side would at least head into the break with the scores level, but that wasn’t to be the case, as Chelsea edged in front again with the last action of the half.

N’Golo Kanté’s deep cross to the back post was headed back across goal by Marcos Alonso, and Gary Cahill steamed in to power a header into the bottom corner.

Unfortunately for Saints, it got worse nine minutes into the second half. Eden Hazard and Cesc Fàbregas worked a short corner, with the latter sending in a cross from which Diego Costa held off the attentions of Ryan Bertrand to head past Fraser Forster and make it 3-1.

Saints did mount a good response, as Dušan Tadić drew an excellent save from Courtois shortly afterwards with a low shot towards the far corner from 20 yards.

After Boufal was withdrawn for Nathan Redmond – who was making his 100th Premier League appearance – Gabbiadini fired into the side netting from what was an almost impossible angle in the 69th minute, after controlling another dangerous Ward-Prowse corner at the back post.

Steven Davis was then unfortunate to see a sweetly-struck shot brilliantly blocked with ten minutes left, before Fraser Forster had to make a good one-on-one save from Kanté, as he was slipped in on the angle by Hazard, as Chelsea broke quickly on Saints.

Puel immediately sent on Shane Long for Ward-Prowse, before adding Jay Rodriguez – also making his 100th Premier League appearance – to the fray shortly after, in place of Gabbiadini.

However, it was Chelsea who got the next goal, as Costa wrapped things up with two minutes remaining, finishing low past Forster to make it 4-1.

There was still time for Bertrand to score with a superb flicked header deep into added time, but it was nothing more than a late consolation for Saints.

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Sourced from ESPN FC article

Hull City’s Southampton trip ideal time to end Premier League away woes

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It was 1951 when Hull City last returned home from Southampton with three league points and there has been no better time to end that wait than this weekend’s meeting at St Mary’s Stadium.

Beating Claude Puel’s side might just be enough to secure the Tigers’ Premier League survival. Nothing would be certain, far from it, but an overdue victory on the south coast would take City within touching distance of safety.

A two-point lead over 18th-placed Swansea City could become five ahead of their greatest rivals in the relegation fight travel to Manchester United on Sunday. And from there it would seem an awfully long way back for Paul Clement’s side.

This could be the weekend for Hull. With a doomed Sunderland side next up at the KCOM Stadium the following Saturday, collecting a win at Southampton would be enormous. Swansea’s fight would continue but their spirit could be broken if Marco Silva can inspire a first away win over the Saints in 66 years.

Much has been made of the Tigers’ remarkable home record – quite rightly so – but there is still a need to pick up something, anything, from their final two away games. Although beating Sunderland, as they will be expected to do, will take Hull up to 36 points, Swansea would still fancy their chances of finding the two wins needed from their last four games to overturn that deficit.

No one will want to leave hopes hanging on the final day visit of Tottenham Hotspur, who might yet arrive at the KCOM Stadium chasing the Premier League title, so Saturday’s trip to Southampton and then the one to Crystal Palace can ill afford to end in defeat.

This has become an increasingly curious record for City. A side that has taken 19 points from a possible 21 on home soil has mustered just one from a possible 45 on their travels. The win at Swansea on Aug. 20 remains the one away victory in the Premier League, decorated only by the draws at Burnley and Manchester United.

Fourteen defeats on the road have left the Tigers in this pickle and they must head to Southampton with a plan to break the current sequence of five straight losses outside of East Yorkshire.

There were promising signs when defeated 3-1 at Stoke City a fortnight ago, a challenge not too dissimilar to the one they will face at St Mary’s. After recovering from a torrid start, at one stage Hull looked good for at least a point after Harry Maguire’s equaliser.

Then came those familiar failings. Chances were not converted and soft goals leaked. The stats tell their own sorry story. The Tigers have conceded 41 goals on their travels this season and scored only nine. That’s not to say Silva will lead his side down to Southampton without hope or confidence. Last weekend’s magnificent win over Watford, where the Tigers played with 10 men for over an hour, ought to have done wonders for belief.

Events of this week have even ensured there was no damage inflicted at all. Oumar Niasse had his three-match suspension correctly overturned on Tuesday, ensuring the striker will be eligible for Saturday’s game at St Mary’s instead of being a victim of Bobby Madley’s ridiculously soft red card. Hull need all the bodies they can get during the run-in and Niasse has become a focal point in Silva’s plans. His hold-up play encourages Kamil Grosicki and Lazar Markovic to attack down the flanks, offering a major threat on the counter.

Southampton have been a solid, if unspectacular, outfit this season but City have already beaten them once. The 2-1 win in November proved to be Mike Phelan’s last Premier League win in charge yet still offers up some kind of blueprint.

Although City can expect to be under pressure for long spells, just as they were at the KCOM Stadium, taking chances when they come along can make all the difference. Southampton could count themselves unfortunate to be beaten six months ago but it was City, somewhat unusually, who found the killer instinct with the second-half goals of Robert Snodgrass and Michael Dawson.

The value of a league double would be almost priceless in these circumstances. As Swansea make their way to Old Trafford, hearing of a Hull City win at Southampton would be a dagger through the heart. That has to be the aim for Silva and his side.

Philip Buckingham is ESPN FC’s Hull City blogger. Follow him on Twitter: @PJBuckingham.

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Saints Together: Primary Stars

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Read Southampton

New content from (- Read Southampton)

| Southampton team news: Hull (H) | Southampton manager Claude Puel has handed out the latest squad news ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with … 27-04-2017 |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

Great to see you back out there, @chazaustin10! #saintsfc

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Sourced from ESPN FC article

Southampton must take Fraser Forster and Jack Stephens out of the firing line

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Claude Puel is one of the most-mild mannered managers in Premier League history but the Southampton boss needs to show his ruthless streak to keep alive the club’s hopes of achieving a top eight finish.

For 45 minutes of Tuesday’s 4-2 defeat at Chelsea, Puel’s men looked like they could have the beating of champions-elect Chelsea. But for all their vibrant and creative attack play, the south coast side were undone by the type of shambolic defending that has become the hallmark of their season, especially since the absence of star man and captain Virgil van Dijk.

It was the same story in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in February’s EFL Cup final at Wembley, when for large periods Southampton played Jose Mourinho’s team off the park, only to leave Zlatan Ibrahimovic unmarked inside their penalty area to head a crushing late winner.

Puel will tell you his players take collective responsibility for such errors, but there are two major factors in their new-found inability to keep clean sheets, namely the troubling form of goalkeeper Fraser Forster and the weaknesses in the centre back partnership of Maya Yoshida and Jack Stephens.

In Forster’s case the cracks in his armoury have been clear to see for much of the season.

Where once there was an almost impenetrable 6-foot-7 wall in the Southampton goalmouth, there now stands a player who has become the shadow of his former self, slow to get down to shots, lacking the self-belief and confidence to command his penalty area, and who regularly plays his team into trouble with poor distribution.

In short, Forster has under-performed too regularly to be guaranteed his status as Southampton’s No. 1.

The continuing absence of injured Alex McCarthy, recruited from Crystal Palace in the summer as competition for Forster, coupled with the frankly bizarre signing of veteran Stuart Taylor has limited Puel’s options.

However the manager did return to old club Nice to take Mouez Hassen on loan in January and it surely the time to blood the French under-21 international against relegation-haunted Hull on Saturday.

Forster looks like he could do with a rest and a spell out of the limelight, and with Southampton neither troubled by the threat of relegation or a challenge for a spot in Europe what does Puel have to lose?

It may be the kickstart that Forster needs to rediscover his lost form in time for the start of next season. There is no doubting his talents, which were evident in his first two years after his £10 million arrival from Celtic, but something has to give if he is to get back to those high standards.

Forster’s shakiness has also had an impact on the defenders in front of him, which brings us on to the second issue: Puel’s strange reluctance to blood former Juventus centre-back Martin Caceres.

When Caceres was recruited as an expensive free agent in the lead up to the EFL Cup final he was expected to take Stephens’ place alongside Yoshida. But having not kicked a ball in anger for the first-team, Southampton fans are wondering what was the point in bringing in the experienced Uruguayan at all?

Again, with Hull struggling for goals on their travels, this would seem to be the ideal fixture to hand Caceres his debut and take Stephens out of the firing line.

The England U21 international has enjoyed some excellent performances in his breakthrough season and has certainly not disgraced himself in deputising for the stricken Van Dijk. But young players need nurturing and it is asking a lot mentally and physically for Stephens to play 90 minutes every game.

Making bold decisions has not been a trademark of Puel’s management career but now is the time to throw caution to the wind by making these two changes.

Alex Crook is ESPN FC’s Southampton blogger. Follow him on Twitter @alex_crook

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Puel welcomes Austin and Targett training return

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Though the Southampton manager has warned that a return to Premier League action is still some way away for the duo.

“I am happy that they can come back for the training session,” explained Puel.

“But we know they haven’t played for a long time, so it’s important for them to find a good rhythm and intensity now – this will take some time.

“I hope Charlie can participate before the end of the season with the group. For the moment it’s just important for him to make progress and get physically fit.”

Puel once again earmarked the Under-23s’ season-ending fixture away to Manchester City as a possible return date for Austin.

“I hope he can play next Friday with the Under-23s,” he continued.

“That will be a good thing for him. Then we will see if he can come back with the group, which I would be very happy to see.”

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Sourced from talkSPORT article

Every Premier League club ranked by their top flight points record as Tottenham pass their highest ever total

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Tottenham defeated Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening to keep pace with Chelsea in the hunt for the Premier League title.

As well as putting pressure on the Blues, the three points ensured Spurs achieved an impressive feat in the history of the White Hart Lane club.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side moved onto 74 points, passing Tottenham’s best ever points total in the Premier League.

Their record finish is 72 points, set in the 2012/13 season, but the Lilywhites are on course to blow that record out the water come the end of this campaign.

So, what is every other team’s best ever points total in the Premier League? Click the right arrow, above, to see the current 20 top flight teams ranked by their points record in the Premier League…

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Sourced from Optimus trousers summary article summary

Summary of non-mainstream articles: 27/04/2017 15:51:06

| | Puel: 'Austin is back in training’SPORTSMOLE |
| | Hull City injury updates ahead of trip to SouthamptonHULLDAILYMAIL |

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The Ugly Inside News for Southampton

New content from (- The Ugly Inside News for Southampton)

| More Info Emerges On New Bidder For Saints | With the news that Lander Holdings Gao Jisheng is struggling to pass the fit and proper test for the Premier League … 27-04-2017 |

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Sourced from A tweet by SouthamptonFC tweet

@SouthamptonFC - Southampton FC

#SaintsFC youngster Jake Vokins is set to represent @England Under-17s at the European Championships: http://sfcne.ws/JKEngU17Euros

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Sourced from Southampton FC - Official Site article

Limited places remain for Arsenal and Man United hospitality

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The Gunners head to St Mary’s on Wednesday 10th May, with kick-off set for 7.45pm, and we still have some spaces left in Club Southampton.

In addition to this, Manchester United visit St Mary’s on Wednesday 17th May, 7.45pm and there are limited Club Southampton packages remaining.

Hospitality packages remaining for both fixtures start from just £175 + VAT per person.

Hurry, as there is a limited amount of time to secure a place. Visit tickets.saintsfc.co.uk to book online today. Alternatively, make an enquiry online, and a member of our Hospitality Team will be in touch, or call us on 02380 727768.

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