Dennis Bergkamp has revealed that Daniel Ek is actively trying to buy Arsenal even though Stan Kroenke remains intent on not selling.
The Swedish co-founder of Spotify is a boyhood Arsenal fan and wants to buy the club so that he can invest much needed funds into the club.
Kroenke has been seen as a greedy American only out to make money for most of the time he has owned majority stakes at Arsenal.
His decision to join the European Super League has been seen as the last straw by some Arsenal fans who are determined to see him gone.
They see Ek as a saviour for their club, but Kroenke doesn’t want to sell.
Nevertheless, the entrepreneur isn’t giving up and has enlisted the help of some former Arsenal players.
One of them is Bergkamp who spoke about his bid recently and insisted that he has been trying to get across to the Kroenke’s to sell the club to him.
‘We can’t force anyone to sell,’ Bergkamp told Dutch outlet Voetbal International.
‘I understand that, in addition to that offer, Daniel has now reached out twice to Josh Kroenke and his bankers. Whatever Kroenke’s intentions are, it would be good if we at least have a conversation with each other. In the interest of the club.
‘Regardless, Daniel is not a quitter and neither are we football boys. We are here to stay. The crazy thing is that we cannot imagine how the current players feel. Because we have always played for the championship ourselves.
‘We do know how the fans feel. We have already had a meeting with a supporter delegation. We also sense more and more enthusiasm on their side. That is very stimulating.’
This article of true interest to us fans is rare and welcome. No fan can possibly know whether or not Daniel Ek will one day own our club. My view is anyone on Earth is better than Kroenke. I personally doubt Ek will ever own us though but hope I am wrong.
Jon did you just said ‘anyone on earth’ ? Would you prefer Newcastle owner then.
The truth is, am a not really sure of my stand on Ske ownership as I see most investors as business men, how much the new owner is interested in putting personal funds is up for debate. I blame Kroenke family for lack of involvement, not because of funding but allowing the likes of Gazidis make stupid decisions without questioning, however , am aware the full takeover only happened 4seasons ago, and Gazidis left , so I think it’s unfair to pressurise him to sell
Adijim, YES I WOULD EVEN PREFER MIKE ASHLEY TO KROENKE. Ashley is at least – and at most – a human being. Of sorts! Whereas KROENKE IS NOT HUMAN AT ALL.
You must be mad Jon. Mike Ashley is probably the last person anyone would want owning their club. Even Kroenke is a huge improvement on Mike Ashley!
Goes to show you what Arsenal “fans” are all about.What he meant to say is anyone who spends his money for their pleasure.
Yossarian, I am among the most sane , most considered people I HAVE EVER MET! I REALLY know myself; you do not! I stand by my view!
Josh Krank (german interpretation) is just a SON, nothing more than a son – a son of MONEY and POWER. Like Uday and Qusay, like Don jr and Eric, like Hunter etc etc etc. All those sons.
Freddie Ljungberg have called Josh “nice”, and maybe so, a nice son. Not a person that formal qualifications and merits has given his position. No, Arsenal Football Club is a toy that Daddy Krank (as above) put in the hands of his little spoiled “bratish” son to keep the little b****** occupied and out of the way while father is working. But the manager (Farteta) is completely different, he is a personification of MERITOCRACY, he’s best buddy to the great Josep Guardiola. Wow!
Arsenal FC is a professional football club, you see…
I think the piece itself is pretty tame, nothing new in it, reading the link to the actual article in Holland doesn’t really bring it to life much either to be honest
The “DNA” thing makes me laugh, Football Clubs don’t have DNA, unless it means that Ek will move us back to Woolwich!
Our “History” shows that we are very good FA Cup Competitors, no great challengers in European competitions and that we have had some excellent flurries of League wins plus a decent few League Cup Final appearances, but I think we have only won two of those
We have never had a devine right to win things, we don’t now and we won’t in the future, we start each season competing with 19 other teams for the League and hopeful for some success in Cups
When Dennis happily joined us for the 95/96 season we were not exactly challenging for the Championship, by the end of his first season we were pretty much where we are now, when Arsene arrived that tide turned, Vieira virtually came “with” Arsene, he then brought in Anelka, Petit and Overmars and by the end of the 97/98 season by way of a lot of hard work, a solid back five, Ray Parlour and good luck we pulled off the double, fantastic and unexpected as it was
We didn’t immediately dominate thereafter but were always in the domestic fight through the early 2000s, we sold Anelka for a huge profit (we had a greedy Board back then as well!) and Henry as his effective replacement was the icing on the cake along with the wonderful Bobby Pires and it also took a completely different back 5 to the one that Wenger inherited to become “Invincibles”, that back 5 a mixture of shrewd buys, a guy that came through the Arsenal ranks and a free transfer
I know you all know all this and some of my facts may not be quite right but I guess what I am trying to say is that it’s nothing to do with DNA or indeed Owners/Board Members it is about the players, the Manager, good luck and timing, it’s about Football
The DNA thing is a good media soundbite by the Ek team, as is the supporters involvement thing but I would really like to understand more detail as to how things might change/improve by that team if they took over before I sign up, not that it would make any difference if I did or not!
I’m not having a pop at Bergkamp or Thierry by the way, both genuinely great players in our history that I loved watching
Some will make you believe Kroenke started our decline but forgot our decline has started since 2005 after we won the FA cup and the players brought in are not of the standard like when Wenger started.
Kroenke joined the Board of director in June 2008 which means, we are in a decline state for 3 years before he joined the club.
We moved to Emirate stadium by July 2006 and had our first match in Aug 2006 which Kroenke has never buy any share holdings in Arsenal but some people will make you believe Kroenke promised us we’re going to be better moving to the Emirates and compete with the likes of Madrid, Barca, Bayern etc. Can someone who is not on board or never owns a share promise you that?
Kroenke has complete control over Arsenal in Aug 2018 and Gazidis let the following month Sept 2018 and yet some will tell you he didn’t fire Gazidis quickly(it might be for a reason, waiting to buy all the shares before telling him to leave?)
It was even revealed that David Dein left the club before Kroenke bought his first shares of 9.9% of Arsenal holdings (Though it was because Dein introduced Kroenke to the board that got the remaining Board of directors angry which causes there irreconcilable differences) but some will make you believe Kroenke was the reason behind the departure of Dein.
Hatred is nothing good and will not let some see the light.
Yes I want Kroenke out, not because he signed for ESL(Anybody can do that), not because he doesn’t spend(Cos he did) but because he doesn’t show up at Arsenal or even show concern to show support on match day. If his Son start showing support and caring like Leicester and Chelsea’s owner, then I’m partly fine with that but till that happens I’m still in the Kroenke out train.