SAINTS administrator Mark Fry last night admitted the Swiss consortium “tick all the right boxes” with regards to a takeover at St Mary’s.

Though there are “still a couple of issues outstanding”, Fry exclusively told the Daily Echo “they were nothing major”.

Fry also said there were two other bids “pushing exceptionally hard” if no deal with the Swiss could be completed.

The Liebherr Group – one of Switzerland’s largest industrial companies with a turnover of over £8 billion in 2008 – are reportedly behind the Swiss bid.

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The company already have links with Southampton as only last month they provided two new cranes for the city’s container terminal in the docks.

Meanwhile, a worldwide financial services group believe THEY are close to a takeover deal.

As revealed in the Echo last week, they have enlisted the help of former Football League chairman Keith Harris to help with their negotiations.

Further talks were planned this morning between Fry and the group.

A third consortium fronted by controversial former York City chairman John Batchelor also remain in the picture, though the Echo understands they are a very distant third in a three-horse race.

Last night, talking about the Swiss, Fry said: “The lawyers have been working with the current (preferred) buyer over the weekend.”

“There are one or two final issues to be resolved.”

“I am hoping they could be what Saints need to take it back to where it should be and that’s why we are sticking so much to them.”

“This international buyer seems to tick all the right boxes and we are keen to do a deal with them.

“There are still a couple of issues outstanding but it's nothing major.

“It’s very frustrating because we all want this to come to an end.

“It’s just a case of getting people to dot the I’s and cross the t’s.

“They are very busy in the background sorting everything out so I remain very hopeful.

“We are quite along way along with the international group. They have done all the due diligence.

“I will be relieved when it is all done because when the club is sold we will have achieved what we set out to achieve.

“We are concerned at this time because the pre-season ticks along and everything needs to be put in place to make sure the club can go forward.

“The sooner we can get a deal done the better.

“We are relying on a lot of goodwill from the players and staff.

“It will be nice to give them some surety.

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