"The Southampton Club is going to go bankrupt?"

Arthur's fingers trembled slightly, and his face looked at Jerry as usual and asked.

"Yes, since they were relegated to the Championship in 2005, the finances have been underpaid. The players either left or were sold out, and they suffered serious losses. This year, they were relegated to the League One again because of the club's management's violation of restructuring regulations, and they are on the verge of bankruptcy.

We reported it a few days ago, boss, didn’t you see it?" Jerry explained casually and asked in confusion.

"No, I've been busy all these days in London and I don't even have time to read newspapers." Arthur shook his head and asked with a look of confusion: "Isn't it a good job in a black store? Why is it going bankrupt suddenly?"

He only focused on the financial market, and he had any skills to read sports reports. Besides, he was not the kind of slut who could kill for football. He was only a pseudo-fan of football. He knew several superstars and some wealthy clubs, and could tell the difference between the five major leagues and the Champions League and the European Cup. Some detailed knowledge about football was inherited from the memories of his predecessors.

Southampton Football Club, formerly known as St. Mary Yma, is a professional football club in Southampton, the port city of Hampshire in southeast England. It is nicknamed "Saints". It was founded in November 1885. Its home stadium, Little Valley Stadium, was used for more than 100 years and moved to St. Mary's Stadium in 2001.

Of course Arthur knew about Saints Southampton Club. After all, it is a famous "black store" and is famous at home and abroad for selling his youth training players...

Ahem, of course, if compared with Porto, a synonym for European black shops, then Saints Southampton is definitely a model in the Premier League conscience store. After all, Saints' products must be boutique.

Most of the players and coaches who left the Santa Maria Stadium play an important role in their new clubs. For example, Big Saint Bale, who sold it to Tottenham for 14.7 million euros, Arthur clearly remembers that Bale later joined Real Madrid for a record transfer fee of 101 million euros.

As we all know, Southampton's youth training may be the best in the whole of England, and many talented players came out from here.

However, the biggest fatal disadvantage is that it can train people but cannot retain them. In fact, this is also a common problem for many small and medium-sized clubs, and the same is true for Southampton. Faced with poaching teams such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham, the Saints may have to choose to build a black store and try to sell players at a good price. This is also the origin of the reputation of the Premier League black store.

The most important reason why Arthur became interested in Southampton was its youth training system, which is definitely a treasure house.

"It has been relegated to the League One, and the players have left and turned to it. Southampton cannot stop it at all. Coupled with the chaos in the management, the Southampton club is now incredible."

Jerry shook his head and explained with a laugh and cry, "I heard that the shareholders of Southampton are looking for buyers who are willing to take over, hoping to get rid of this loss-making black hole. Once the bankruptcy is declared, Southampton will be entrusted, and by then, the losses of these shareholders will be greater."

Football club financial custody is generally due to the club's board of directors' declaration that it is unable to repay the debt and no new board of directors takes over, and the Premier League committee will take over the team and limit the transfer of such teams.

In this way, the team cannot have any additional expenses. If no one takes over the team at the end of the season, the team will be relegated. In England, it will generally only be relegated one level. Due to the relegation of the team, the team will depreciate, and if some players are sold, the debt will be basically paid, and a new board of directors will take over. Recommended reading tv

If Southampton, which has been transferred to the League One, is demoted again, it will probably be over.

Hearing this, Arthur's eyes narrowed slightly, with a flash of bright colors in his eyes. He looked at Jerry and asked, "Do you know, how much they are going to sell?"

After asking this sentence, everyone at the dining table couldn't help but feel a little confused, and then turned their eyes to their young boss.

Jerry, who seemed to have thought of something, looked at Arthur with bright eyes and said, "There is no clear price, but some shareholders revealed the intention of selling it. However, according to the current situation in Southampton, it will definitely not be too expensive. If you have any ideas, I will ask our newspaper reporters to ask privately for an exclusive interview in the afternoon."

"Haha, if it's cheap, what do you think I'll buy it?" Arthur asked with a smile on his face.

"Boss, no matter how cheap it is, it will cost tens of millions of pounds. Southampton will still play in the League One this year. Even if everything goes well, it will only be promoted to the Championship next year. Football is a very expensive sport. The ownership of some football clubs is a very dangerous transaction. Boss, you have to consider the risks clearly."

Tom White looked at the young boss who was obviously moved and hurriedly reminded him.

The Premier League has indeed become increasingly influential in the world, and the copyright of the Premier League has also been sold at a sky-high price. Most people would think that the commercial value of Premier League clubs will also become higher and higher. But this idea is too naive.

In the Premier League, it is not as many super rich as you think. It is as crazy as Chelsea’s Abraham. It is becoming increasingly difficult to make a lot of money by running a Premier League club. In the money-burning football world, investing in Premier League clubs is not a stable business for investors.

What's more, the League One team that is two levels lower is completely a loss-making product. If you don't invest money to strengthen your power, it is impossible for you to enter the Premier League from the low-level league.

"It may not necessarily require so much money, and Southampton's youth training is the best in the Premier League, with huge potential and is definitely a treasure house of talents. As long as it is given time, even if there is no additional investment, it can rely on youth training players to get back to the Championship.

As long as you return to the Championship, each team's annual basic share will be nearly 3 million pounds of broadcast share, plus box office revenue, trading players, commercial development, and good operation, and not rushing to the Premier League. You can achieve a balance of income and expenditure, and even make a profit."

However, Jerry Fuller expressed a completely different opinion from Tom. As the head of the newspaper, his analysis was more professional and in place, and he could better see the potential and value of Southampton.

Of course, if the boss really has the ability to acquire the Southampton Club, for the Southern Daily Echo, which is based in Hampshire, it will undoubtedly get the largest news source, which is a boss's industry, and what you get is naturally first-hand news.

Listening to the completely different opinions of the two subordinates, Arthur just smiled indifferently. What both of them said made sense, but Arthur had his own ideas, and it was not possible for others to change their differences by just a few words.

"Haha, it's a bit too early to say this now. Jerry, please ask someone to ask for the club's offer. If the price is too high, even if I intend to acquire Southampton, I can't do anything."

"Okay, boss." Jerry agreed immediately.

The others present watched all this silently, but they had a new understanding of the boss's financial resources. After all, no one who can afford football is worth billions.

Many rich people or consortiums like to acquire football clubs, and many fans are envious. After all, it must be a very cool thing to be able to play the real version of football managers. However, in fact, these rich people or consortiums who acquire clubs are not really the ones who love football or like these clubs. Of course, making money is the purpose of most people, but making money is only the ultimate goal of investing in football, and the same end result is the same. The way to make money using football is not the only way, and often making money is not the only purpose.

What Arthur values ​​football is the soft power and personal influence it can bring.

Football is an important way to effectively improve personal soft power. No matter how insignificant or unknown person it was before, as long as you become the boss of an old club, it is undoubtedly an important means to enhance your personal image.

Especially the topic attributes of football are definitely a marketing and promotion tool that increases popularity and influence!

As football emperor Beckenbauer once said: "It is not football that rolls on the green field, but gold." Don't think that investing in football is for love, maybe there is, but that is only the most trivial part.
Chapter completed!