Saints are set to head off for a pre-season tour of China this summer as they strengthen links in the Far East following the takeover of Gao Jisheng.

Details were revealed at the Soccerex Convention in China where it was reported that Saints will travel to China in July.

Provisional plans set in place will have Saints taking on a Chinese Super League team and a German Bundesliga side as part of their preparations for the next campaign.

On top of that, Gao’s company, Lander Sports, is looking to build up to ten soccer academies across China, using the expertise at Saints to assist.

All of this is part of a strategy to raise the profile of the club in China, and in turn aid Lander’s businesses.

Lander Sport’s vice president Neil Chan, who has also spent time at St Mary’s since Gao paid £210m for an 80 per cent stake in the club, revealed that the company plan to build up to ten sports towns in China to capitalise on the nation’s burgeoning health boom.

Owning Saints presumably helps with raising the profile of Lander and adding credibility, knowledge and expertise to their money making ventures, which potentially explains part of their motivation for investing in the club.

It is unclear whether relegation from the Premier League would affect the plans, but it seems unlikely given that Gao’s Chinese interests have been ramping up a PR offensive regards Saints in China recently.

Saints are also likely to have a more regular tour somewhere in Europe as well.

The news is likely to cause more bemusement for the club’s traditional fan base, who are still searching for answers as to why Gao has invested in Saints, how the deal has been funded, and how he views the long term future at St Mary’s given the state of flux surrounding them this season and the threat of relegation hanging over the club.