The Nigerian billionaire has often been quoted spouting out about how much he loves Arsenal and how he is going to do his utmost to buy the club, but he has now said it so many times it seems that everyone is now aware that he only says these things to try and get more exposure in the media. Today we have found out that he is not really so obsessed with Arsenal at all, as was reported by AllNigeriaSoccer.com.…..
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has said that he would turn his attention to buying another football club if Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke refuses to sell.
Dangote does not think this is the right time to buy the Premier League club because he wants to complete one of the world’s largest oil refineries in Lagos, Nigeria.
“I’m very attached to Arsenal but if he won’t sell, I might have to change,” Dangote told Bloomberg TV at the New Economy Forum in Singapore.
“I’m very much a fan of football. I have to have a club. I don’t have to own Arsenal.”
The 61-year-old Aliko Dangote is worth $11.2 billion, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Arsenal are the sixth-largest soccer club in the world, generating revenue of 488 million euros ($556 million) in the 2016-17 season, according to Deloitte LLP.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
As usual, Dangote is just spouting rubbish, and I doubt very much if he will ever even own a football team. He only says these things to try and endear himself to African Football fans, but the Gooners over in Africa now know that he doesn’t really care about Arsenal at all, he just wants publicity!
Darren N
Darren, I do not know much about Dangote but I think your article makes an unfair assumption about him. In my opinion, Dangote is simply being realistic. If he is unable to buy Arsenal, should he not have the right to own another team? If he is unable to buy Arsenal, that would most likely be down to Kroenke decision, not Dangote’s, so I don’t understand how Kroenke’s decision not to sell equates to Dangote “not caring about Arsenal at all.”
If you were unable to buy a season ticket at our ground, would YOU buy one for another ground? We ALREADY have a non Arsenal fan owning us and he is disastrous. Why willingly jump from the frying pan into the fire? NO WAY!!!
That’s a lie. He cares very much about Arsenal.When asked about buying Arsenal, this is what he said “If they get the right offer, I’m sure they would walk away. Someone will give them an offer that will make them seriously consider walking away. And when we finish the refinery, I think we will be in a position to do that. By the time we’ve finished the world’s biggest oil refinery in Lagos, we’ll be a $30bn company in terms of revenue. He continued “We’ll have an excess amount of cash to start playing around with to buy Arsenal.
“I’m very attached to Arsenal but if he won’t sell, I might have to change. I’m very much a fan of football. I’ll like to have a club. I don’t have to own Arsenal.
It would be wise to get your facts right before making assumptions like this. I’m from the same country as Dangote and I can tell you he’s a fan of Arsenal and that’s part of the reason he’s been trying to buy it over.
Try not to misinterpret people’s statements. The media will only extract what they feel is good enough to capture the minds of the public.
He’s a true fan of Arsenal and I got one hope this move of his is him trying to put Kroenke under pressure to sell and those agitating for the removal of our US owners to put more pressure for him to take over and buy the club over.
One love.
Who wants theory henry ? ? ?? I’m with emery ha ha
Does that means he’s not an Arsenal fan, Or because of the fact that he’s a fan, most he own Arsenal?.
There are many billionaires out there that supports one Club or the other, but not obsessed with buying it
If the owner is not willing to sell, he won’t force him.
As a keen business he will look for other options if buying Arsenal doesn’t work out.
Anyone looking at that Kroenke and Usmanov situation would realize that they ain’t getting anywhere near owning Arsenal. He must be a clever man to have gained that wealth, but I felt he sounded a bit daft the way he was going on about owning Arsenal, yet he never made an offer not even to buy Usmanov out. He sounds like a prat in all honesty.
Thierry henry as a manager is just like Brazilian left back who played for arsenal under wonger
Clueless ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
After Mohammed bin Salman, then this Aliko Dangote rumor comes
Maybe the next rumors would be Bill Gates, Jack Ma or Carlos Slim Helu
I don’t think Stan Kroenke would budge, unless if he is finally fed up with the supporters’ complaints
Sorry for Henry. But that’s reality check at last.
thats why i always say if any of our ex players is to manage arsenal it should be arteta
@Ramterta, Arteta didn’t work out because he divided opinions so much and there was this doubt over his ability to handle a club as big as Arsenal. But we are much happier with who we got at the end of the day.
I seen the Lagos Gooner’s celebrating the Lacazette goal, they look like a great bunch of fans, even at the end they were dancing and celebrating. They’d bring a great atmosphere with them, maybe Dagnote will pay for all the tickets and flights seeing as he’s such a big fan and is eager to spend his money.
Well I’m an Arsenal fan and I were to buy a club with the sole purpose of improving the club and getting them to compete, as a football fan and not businessman it would have to be the club that I support, in this case Arsenal. However, if my intention is to make money or maybe be I see it as business then I’ll buy any other club that is available. Dangote saying he might have to buy some other club indicates to me he sees it as business, which is fine I understand, just don’t want Arsenal to be someone’s cash cow or business of some sort, too late for that I know because our owner is a business man and sees it as business.
Football is Business
this post is crap to suggest he’s not a fan.. first of all he’s a business, a tycoon at that one. He’s been trying to buy but we all know Kroenke don’t wanna sell. It doesn’t mean he should give up his dream if owing another club. Usmanov putting his money into Everton football club won’t make him less a gunner so why’s Dangote any different? The man’s ready to buy the club and spend, Kroenke’s worth $8, Dangote’s worth $11. definitely you can’t say stuffs like that about him because he wants to put his money elsewhere after being turned down by Kroenke.
If I’m not able to get Arsenal match day tickets but I ended up getting Barcelona tickets and seeing their games, doesn’t mean u don’t care about Arsenal
Eddie, Suppose you as a devoted Gooner had those billions and tried to buy Arsenal but Kroenke refused to sell, would YOU then go and buy another Prem club. Because IF you did, and tried to make them financially successful you would he harming Arsenal. That would make you not truly devoted to Arsenal after all. My point is that any billionaire who claims to be a true fan but then buys a different club, when thwarted, could NOT have been a true fan in the first place. I don’t believe any billionaies are true fans of any club when first buying them. DON’T TELL ME ABRAMOVITCH WAS A TRUE CHELSEA FAN BACK IN 2002,(A YEAR BEFORE BUYING CHELSEA) WHEN HE WAS TRYING TO BUY OTHER Prem clubs and talking to several, INCLUDING US AND SPUDS. FANS ARE FANS OF FOOTBALL; BILLIONAIRES ARE FANS OF MONEY AND THEMSELVES. REALITY!!! Most of us have other teams we would watch occasionally and also like BUT a true fan always supports only HIS/HER club against any other of those other liked clubs , when playing them. A true fan has only room in the soul for one club, not whichever one he can buy first. DANGOTE IS POISON THEREFORE.
If I was rich enough yet Silent Stan refused to budge then I might look at a french club…
It doesn’t have to be another EPL club right? I didn’t read him saying he would go for a rival team…
???
Well said Jon Fox.
His interest in buying Arsenal is purely business – nothing more nothing less.
Gily, just the same as any other billionaire then… like kronkie perhaps, the glaziers, the oilers or even the russian?
YES, JUST THE SAME AS THOSE NON ONE CLUB IN THEIR HEART BILLIONAIRE, “SO CALLED ” FANS. ASK ABRAMOVITCH WHO KEN SHELLITO WAS OR THE GLAZERS WHO JOHN ASTON WAS AND NEITHER WOULD HAVE A CLUE. I am astonished Kroenke even knows where England and London are, let alone Arsenal! Billionaires are bullying parasites who expect everyone and everything to bow down to their power with very few exceptions; Bill Gates being one exception. One is currently (mis) running the USA AND IS THE PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT I WRITE.
Jon Fox where did you read it that he’s getting an EPL club?
Is supporting a certain football club seriously enough to turn public opinion of yourself? I doubt it. He just seems like another big headed billionaire
Kroenke is no Arsenal fan
Article appears to assume that buying another club somewhere in the world means he isn’t an obsessed Arsenal fan yet for all we know he could be an obsessed Arsenal fan and an obsessed football fan, happy to make his dream come true with a Spanish or French team…
It didn’t say he would buy another EPL club.
It would be funny if he bought the spuds though and ran them into the ground and said “See, told you I would turn my attention elsewhere”
XD
Ot how was Harry Kane awarded that goal against psv ? It was aimed one direction then took 3 million deflections and went in the other direction! Kane has claimed some dubious goals I think he’d claim he’s prime minister if he could
exactly and the media gone quiet on this….
??
Come on Juventus! Szczesny hasn’t had much to do!!
CRISTIANO!!!!! Get in there!
I have to say Szczesny is a bang average keeper Sue what the hell was that clown doing for that 2nd goal ? so glad we got shot of him ?
Yes he didn’t have the greatest of games John…..bloody jammy Man United ?
For someone who is such a massive fan, has he actually been to a match at the Emirates?
Stubill. if he’s been to one, it’s probably more than kronkie senior has been to since he bought us lock stock and barrel!!
In the end this is something that fans can do nothing about anyway.
I will accept those who know the man and says he’s a gooner and that’s about it.
Kroenke has never professed to be an Arsenal fan, he’s openly said he’s doesn’t own Arsenal to win trophies.
If he’s such a massive fan as he claims, surely a multi-billionaire with unlimited resources, money a private plane can’t manage the odd weekend away to watch his beloved team, then I don’t know who can.
I don’t believe his bullshit for a single second.
Completely off topic I know-But anyone who believes Man Utd will not be challenging for the Top 4 is wrong.However much I detest Mourinho he is a manager that knows how to win football matches.There are SIX teams fighting for the Top4 places.Nobody should write off those Mancs.
I thought I was the only one worried about them! I have been monitoring them and I even infiltrated one of their YouTube channels, Full Time Devils, and they seem to be very optimistic. They have been picking up some wins quietly and are now only 3 points behind us. Yesterday’s win versus Juve will definitely boost their confidence as well. Hopefully City will shut them down over the weekend and stop them breathing down our necks. I also hope Palace can contain Spurs and allow us to get back into the top 4 b4 the international break.
Yet again Sanchez is subbed & they score!! Probably helps that Lukaku hasn’t been playing, because he’s pants!
If City don’t win on Sunday, by at least 2 goals… I will absolutely stunned!! (Like I was last season when Pogba scored twice ??)
Yes come on Zaha.. another dive maybe??!!
Yea I was shocked by that Pogba inspired comeback as well!!! I don’t know Man utd seems to come through in big games. I watched their match versus Chelsea at the bridge and they would have won it had it not been for Chelsea desperately forcing in a 96th minute equalizer.
I hope Zaha can keep up the theatrics and earn a penalty vs spurs ?
Smells like a propaganda post.
Well I don’t know what is expected of Dangote. If Kroenke won’t sell there is nothing the African tycoon can do about it. Would Dangote be a better owner though? The American owner has been spending of late, got us Laca £52M and Auba £60M. Will Dangote match that? Has he said he’s willing to spend? Anyways Kroenke has always insisted he’s in it for the long haul, even Usmanov couldn’t dislodge him. Why would Dangote be any different?
QD, the first time he said he wanted to buy Arsenal he also said that the first thing he would do is to fire Wenger. I’ve seen someone talking about him going to see matches, stubill do not assume he hasn’t been to an Arsenal game before. I am from Africa and I would say that Dangote is a true gunner and I am confident he can turn things around in terms of pumping money into our club once he owns. I just hope that he does so when his right time comes, admin shame on you for making a wrong judgement about this guy, I can see most of us clearly want to suffer with the devil we have and would jump at every opportunity to criticize anyone who wants to take us forward. Makes me wonder if we want to continue being behind or take charge and be the very best team there can ever be.
#COYG
I hope you are right about Dangote bud!!!
Trust me, someone like Dangote, who has stated his love for the club, spoken about how much he’s going to spend, and what he’s going to do if he gains control, would make damned sure everyone knows if he ever attended a game.
You, having heard someone talking about attending a match doesn’t really mean anything, I once heard that Jesus Christ was a season ticket holder, do you believe that as well!
Here you go Stubil. Now shut up please ??
https://www.google.com/amp/www.informationng.com/2016/11/aliko-dangote-visits-emirates-stadium-femi-otedola.html/amp
Thank you Th14, this is exactly why you should not make assumptions about people like admin did. With Arsenal being owned by Dangote I can assure you it can never be in much safer hands
I heard Dangote was at the emirates with another nigerian billonaire to watch Arsenal vs psg 2 years ago.