Southampton chairman Henrik Kraft has revealed more players could move within the Sport Republic group in the future.
Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen founded the London-based sports investment group. They first invested in Southampton in January 2022 before taking over Turkish side Göztepe SK later that year.
In July 2023, Sport Republic became the majority shareholder at Valenciennes, who were relegated from Ligue 2 last season.
Monday’s edition of La Voix des Sports has published an interview with the Southampton chairman. The majority of the interview focuses on Valenciennes, while Kraft also gives an insight into Sport Republic plans for the future.
He was initially asked how he’s able to be actively involved at both Southampton and the third division French club.
“It’s like having two children. Three even, since we also have Göztepe in Türkiye [led by Ankersen],” he said.
“You love them and focus on both at the same time. They have different characteristics, not the same charm or the same problems, but we devote ourselves to both. I try to be present at all the home matches of both clubs and I think I succeeded.”
The groups leading the multi-club model generally tend to invest more time and money on one specific club. The French newspaper pointed that out and asked the Saints chief to explain Sport Republic’s model.
“It’s normal, it’s a question of respect for the supporters, for the partners, the sponsors, to be present here. We want them to realise that we are concerned, that we care about the club,” Kraft explained.
“Our overall strategy is to create a group where each club benefits from more resources and expertise. We believe a lot in synergies, it’s like a family. We do not have a particular model.
“We cannot compare ourselves to Red Bull which has a brand above its clubs, nor to Manchester City which still does things differently.”
Southampton’s Daouda Traoré is on loan at Valenciennes this season. Kraft revealed more about Sport Republic’s transfer strategies when asked if more Saints players could arrive at the French club.
“It’s an integral part of the strategy that clubs help each other. It’s about finding the right time for each player. They are constantly being evaluated to build the best plan for each of them,” he added.
