Southampton Football Club is up for sale, according to reporters in the English media.

The Sunday Times reported over the weekend that the Saints owner Gao Jisheng has put the club up for sale.

The Chinese businessman has asked a broker to come in and try to find a suitable party to buy up his controlling stake.

Jisheng has only been involved with the club as a majority owner for the past three years, when he bought 80 per cent of the team from Katharina Liebherr.

The Daily Echoclaims the news is a little premature, as the Saints are not in a rush to sell.

But they are reportedly seeking new ways to drum up investment that would help them strengthen the team for manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Jisheng has previously spoken about how he wanted the Saints to become a self sustaining club.

In a previous interview with the Financial Times, Gao said: "I am not treating Southampton as a pig to be fattened and sold.

"I am treating it as a child. But my children must believe they cannot depend on the boss.

"I have said to Southampton: 'I am now your father. But I am putting you on the right track: you need to feed yourself.'"