SOUTHAMPTON, England — Southampton Football Club has announced a significant leadership change as chairman Henrik Kraft has resigned from his position amid ongoing struggles in the Premier League. Majority stakeholder Dragan Solak will take over the chairmanship role effective immediately.

The club made this announcement on Tuesday, with Solak indicating that further alterations are expected soon. In his statement, he expressed mixed feelings about the club’s management, saying, “While I am pleased with many aspects of the club’s management, I am deeply disappointed with the football results this season.” He further added, “We will be strengthening our football management team in the near future, and we will share details of that as soon as things are confirmed.”

Currently, Southampton finds itself at the bottom of the Premier League standings. The club’s struggles intensified last month when they parted ways with manager Russell Martin following a heavy 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. After earning promotion to the league last season, the team now faces the risk of immediate relegation, having won just one out of twenty league matches this season and suffering a staggering 16 losses.

Ivan Juric was named as the new manager last month to succeed Martin, and Solak reflected on the situation, stating, “Our aim at the start of the season was to stay in the Premier League, and I know our fans share in my frustration at how this season has gone so far.” He urged fans to continue their passionate support for the club as they navigate the challenges ahead.

Listed as the ultimate beneficial owner of Southampton, Solak leads Sport Republic, which holds the majority stake in St Mary’s Football Group Ltd, the parent company of Southampton FC. In his remarks, Solak also expressed gratitude to Kraft for his commitment to the club, noting that Kraft will remain involved as a shareholder and will continue on the board of Sport Republic.