Has Dragan Solak put Southampton up for sale as rumour says?

The former Crystal Palace chairman stated that "there is a rumour going around that Southampton are up for sale," and swiftly moved on.

The rumour that Jordan revealed had already been circulating, first coming to our attention on Thursday, and the attention of other reporters.

There are possible buyers of a football club in the market currently, so it is no surprise that whispers are making their way around the capital.

A Saudi billionaire and a US-based consortium have been linked with the Championship's sleeping giants, Sheffield Wednesday, this month.

Ultimately, what happens will come down to whether Sport Republic's lead investor Dragan Solak wants to keep putting his cash into the club.

TalkSPORT personality Simon Jordan revealed the rumour on his talk show on Monday (Image: PA)

After Sport Republic acquired 80 per cent of the club for £100million in January 2022, Solak has sunk many more of his millions over the next years.

As well as general running costs, Solak has funded investments into the infrastructure of the club, including stadium and training ground upgrades. 

In order to be tempted to sell up now, and even taking the club's liabilities and debts into account, it is believed Solak would require a big offer.

The price named in the rumour that circulated over the last few days was £125m, but sources reveal Solak would not consider a sale for that figure.

In business, everything has a price, and Saints are no different. The potential activity in the market is interesting, and means the story could develop.

St Mary's Stadium, home of Sport Republic's St Mary's Football Group (Image: Adam Davy/PA)

But while it cannot be ruled out if the right offer came in, most of the signs are that Solak is not deliberately manoeuvring towards a sale.

The Daily Echo understands that chairman Solak had recently reaffirmed privately to senior staff his desire to remain at the helm at St Mary's.

Solak also remains closely attentive to detailed planning of long-term club projects, despite the fact they are years away from coming to fruition.

He spoke to the media in January and said: "I feel completely at home here and I'm as passionate as ever to make this club successful.

"That's why I decided to assume the chair. I show everybody that I'm going nowhere and I will do everything I can to make it work."

Dragan Solak's Sport Republic own a majority share of Saints, with the rest held by Katharina Liebherr

From previous experiences speaking with club sources, there was always a feeling that Saints would be a club spoken about by prospective buyers.

Following the club's relegation from the Premier League, its value has taken a hit, and it could be a wise time for someone to make an investment. 

Despite relegation and seemingly endless struggles on the field, the club's commercial capabilities are increasing and its potential exciting. 

CEO Phil Parsons was hired by Solak in 2023 to look at the bigger picture, and oversee aspirational long-term redevelopment projects the group have.

The first infrastructure work done to St Mary's Stadium in years, including redesigning the layout of the stadium bowl and fan zones, was the start. 

Solak pictured with CEO Phil Parsons and board member Rasmus Ankersen (Image: PA)

As a result of financial regulations, at the time, it was Parson's belief that: "Unless you do things differently off the pitch, you will only get worse on it."

Should Saints, who have highly-rated technical director Johannes Spors at the helm, win promotion back to the Premier League, their stock will rise.

However, it has been a frustrating and costly few years at Southampton for Solak, with no tangible progress visible - on the pitch, anyway.

Externally, some supporters would welcome the departure of Sport Republic following two relegations in three full seasons under their stewardship.

Others would point to a need for stability and clarity, which Saints believe Spors will provide as he leads the club's football department forwards.