SAINTS will find out this week whether Sisu Capital are still interested in a takeover at St Mary's - or whether they have turned their attentions to Coventry City instead.

The Sky Blues have set Sisu a date of next Friday, December 14, to agree a deal with them - or Coventry enter administration and accept its resultant 10-point penalty.

If the London-based hedge fund does not take over City, though, it still leaves the way open for talks with Saints' major shareholders.

It is believed some of the latter - but not former chairman Rupert Lowe - are due to meet Sisu officials this week.

But Coventry could announce their own deal with Sisu - believed to be worth around £45m - as early as today.

Saints' executive directors have insisted that Sisu's offer remains the only bid currently on the table for the club.

Sisu's interest in Saints was revealed to the Stock Exchange back on October 22.

But the major shareholders have yet to meet their officials or Ray Ranson, the former Manchester City defender who is leading Sisu's negotiations with Coventry.

Ironically, Saints visit Coventry next Saturday - by which stage everyone will know whether the hosts have been plunged into a relegation battle courtesy of a 10-point deduction.

Alternatively, Sisu might have taken over at the Ricoh Arena, leaving Saints fans worried that the executives might go through with threats to sell players next month in order to help balance the books.