The Covert Agent: Southern Expansion make offers to buy Central Coast and Wellington Phoenix

Aspiring A-League franchise Southern Expansion has made separate offers to buy current A-League clubs Central Coast Mariners and Wellington Phoenix, but were rejected on both proposals.

The Cover Agent can reveal the Chinese investors behind Southern Expansion are tired of waiting for the FFA to figure out their expansion agenda and decided to test the resolve of two existing clubs.

The offers that were put to Mariners owner Mike Charlesworth and Phoenix chairman Rob Morrison both exceeded $7 million but were turned down after dialogue was initiated.

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Southern Expansion are hoping to be the third A-League team in Sydney and cover an area south of the CBD, including St George, Sutherland and South Coast football communities.

Council approval has been obtained to build a 30,000-seat stadium in Loftus, with the franchise committing $9 million to the project in their proposal to the FFA.