SAINTS have the fastest growing brand of any football club in the world, according to a new study.

Brand Finance’s annual Football 50 report ranks sides across the globe each year in order of the estimated value of their brand.

According to the research, Saints have seen theirs grow by 89 per cent, to a worth of £110m.

That makes them the 18th most valuable brand in the world, ahead of clubs like Inter Milan, Ajax, Atletico Madrid and Galatasaray. Saints were previously 30th, with a worth value of £57m.

Much of their improvement – and that of other Premier League clubs in the list – is down to the new £5.1bn broadcast deal that was struck this year and comes into effect in 2016.

However, the study also takes into account on-pitch success, as well as areas such as marketing strength, sponsorship and performance as a business.

The report’s authors stated: “Southampton has been more than a passive beneficiary of booming broadcast revenues. Despite changing manager twice and selling many of their top players to larger clubs, it has gone from strength to strength since promotion in 2012.

“The club’s knack for identifying talented young players at a reasonable cost and developing them into stars has enabled it to climb the Premier League rankings whilst turning a tidy profit.

“Ronald Koeman has masterminded a seventh place finish that means a club facing administration in 2009 and playing in the third tier of English football in 2010 is just two points behind Liverpool, a club with an enduringly popular global brand.

“Southampton can look forward to European football and the chance to build its own brand on the international stage.”

Saints manager Ronald Koeman

In an interview published in the report, Saints’ marketing director, Kate Tarry, responded to the findings.

“We are in a really exciting and dynamic place,” she said.

“We have big ambitions and these ambitions are shared through everyone from the board down.”

She added: “The board and senior management team are now developing plans for international growth, looking at how we focus our resources and maximise opportunity.

“We are ready to go out and share our exciting and unique club with the world.”

Manchester United came top in the study – having been third in 2014 – seeing their brand value grow to £727m. Bayern Munich – previously first – are second on a worth of £562m.

Six of the top ten in the list come from the Premier League.