Southampton’s ownership group, Sport Republic, has reportedly entered talks to purchase Bulgarian club Levski Sofia in a move to expand its multi-club network.
Southampton owners Sport Republic, led by Serbian billionaire Dragan Solak, are pursuing a significant expansion of their multi-club portfolio with a bid to buy the Bulgarian side Levski Sofia, according to a report from Football League World based on information from the Daily Echo.
Sport Republic first entered the football ownership sphere when Solak purchased an initial 80 per cent stake in Southampton in January 2022 for £100 million, making the Championship side the inaugural club in the ownership group.
The portfolio has since expanded to include Turkish side Goztepe SK, French side Valenciennes, and Malian side Mali Coura.
The potential acquisition of Levski Sofia, which finished second in their top flight last season and is considered one of Bulgaria’s biggest clubs, would further incorporate them into the same multi-club structure as Southampton. The Championship side is currently viewed as the top of Sport Republic’s operation.
It is understood that Solak submitted his first offer to the European club earlier this month, and talks have been ongoing in the days since.
While the exact fee remains to be seen, the move suggests that Sport Republic remains committed to investing in football despite having faced criticism from some supporters for their stewardship of Southampton.
Although the existing multi-club connections have yet to fully prove beneficial to Southampton, the move signals a continued push by Solak’s group towards diversifying their football assets globally.