The Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has let it be understood that there is no way that he is going to give up on taking over Arsenal from Stan Kroenke, despite his opening offer of one billion GBP being turned down by the American.
His company released a statement saying: “KSE UK, Inc notes the recent media speculation concerning its shareholding in Arsenal Holdings PLC and confirms that its shares are not, and never have been, for sale,”
“KSE is a committed, long-term investor in Arsenal and will remain so.”
But Usmanov, whose latest estimate of nett worth was 11 billion GBP, is obviously keen to revive Arsenal after seeing them drop out of the Top Four for the first time since Wenger’s arrival. He has always stated that if given the full financial backing of the Board Wenger would have performed much better in recent years, and even now he respects that Wenger should be given the opportunity to prepare his successor before he leaves.
Just last month Usmanov was quoted as saying: “Some continuity is needed,”
“This includes the need to prepare a successor for Wenger, but in a very respectful way. I can suggest that Wenger himself can prepare a successor.”
But now that SkySports are reporting that the Russian has not accepted the rebuttal and is intending to carry on his crusade to own Arsenal. This is music to the ears of Arsenal fans, who have seen how unsuccessful Kroenke’s other ‘franchises’ are doing in America. The Yank is in this game simply as an investment, whereas I believe that Usmanov has ambitions to challenge Chelsea’s Abramovich for bragging rights amongst their Russian billionaire friends.
Let’s hope he makes Kroenke an offer he can’t refuse!
Sam P
Let Gunners unite in support of Usmanove take over, we are tired of Kroanke’s clueless regime
Give the ul yank 1.8b n tell him to leave!! Stick the other 200 into the squad this summer with a new manager to replace Arsene & his inflated wage for being piss poor. 2b is what were worth so this should do nicely!
Sometimes the best way to get the ball rolling is to find out what the likes of Kroenke wants for his shares in our club. Once this is known negotiations can take place. If not, Usmanov will be throwing out arbitrary numbers without making any headway.
If Usmanov gets his offer accepted I will be the happiest man alive! As for Kroenke, I want him to piss off to America and never come back again. I’m not so convinced that Kroenke will sell, but I would love to be wrong on that.
I’m willing to let Wenger get one more season under Usmanov to prepare for a new manager, and to see if he really can challenge when he has all the funds needed. But the best would obviously be to get someone like Allegri in with Usmanov, even if that means we will not challenge next year. We need to get fresh people with new ideas in!
Kroenke needs to leave america before you can send him back……sorry left it on a plate for me there.
Yeh let Usmanov play who has got the biggest ‘wad’ with abrahimovich!
Want Kroenke out sooooooo bad.
I can understand the support for Wenger as most sheep people have become used to have him around that they cant bring them self to realisation that he must be gone for the sake of the future of the club, but for f sake what reason is there that fans young and old not being eable to unite against Stan this time?
Do you have a 2 bit brain or what? You still think Wenger is the enemy here right? You are like a airline passenger attacking the pilot in mid-air to air your grievances about the poor state of the of the airline, you’ll kill everyone on board with your stupidity and misdirected venom.
Yes, let’s get this straight. The Boatd want dough but think the best way to achieve it is through a mediocre manager. Yes, right! Everyone except Wenger is the issue…….
The first sheep person comes to the rescue. Its not like Stan was not giving Wenger the means to perform, but old fart failied miserably by miss spending and miss managing the club, or am i mistaken you tool?
yeah and see where that got y’all, one leg into mediocrity, Arsenal just became a mid table club like ALL of Kroenke’s other teams. David Dein wanted trophies, Wenger gave him trophies, Kroenke wants a bulging bank balance, Wenger is giving it to him, the fans distracting the man from doing his job are only picking on an easy target and are hurting the club even further. If the owners gave Wenger a PROPER mandate and he doesn’t deliver, they have every right to fire him irrespective of his legacy, ask the Leicester owners.
Nahhh, i call this bs, Wenger was simple lucky to find a already decent team to manage which he made better while using his connection he had with french football at that time
He is a fraud, and as manager he would even fail while having even the likes of messi in the team, and u sir fan boy know this
Wenger has no life and is the perfect salesman for Stan, why should he be sacked?
Incarnate you are the brainless twit here. Arsene had more than enough time and money to build a decent team and create working tactics around it. Look at Pochettino in Spurs or Leicester last year, do they have more money than Wenger. He spent 100 Million in the last transfer window what do we have to show for it. How much do you think the Spurs team cost? How much do you think ours did? Chelsea bought Kante and Luiz and the won them the league, why didnt we.
Yes we have a shitty owner that’s for sure, but it is not his fault that Wenger does not buy the right players, no longer develops youth players, can not motivate and plays with the same tactic no matter the opponent.
And they still offered him a two year deal? Think man!
Everybody HATES Stan. I understand some fans wanting Wenger to stay one year for stability and to find a successor but if like Kroenke as an owner you just lost your brain somewhere
– you –
WE WANT YOU TO STAY,WE WANT YOU TO STAY OH ARSENE,STAN,GAZIDIS AND ARSENAL BOARD WE WANT YOU TO STAY!!!!!!!.
Now this guy just lost the plot
The yankee should be yanked out our club. Up the Gunners
Guys between Roman Abramovic and Usmanov who is the richest?
No contest, according to Forbes Usmanov is worth £14.4 Billion, and Abramovich is worth £8.8 Billion.
Wenger would buy Messi and play him as a wing back
If this story is true then biggest culprit of this situation is Kronke and Board because being a Shareholder Usmanov must be knowing facts behind the scenes which we don’t know and if Usmanov is saying that Arsene would been more if more transfer funds would been available to him…. This statement means that board and Kronke is Culprit…
Kroenke he is not a fan of sport but own sport that he did not want to invest in.pls pls pls arsenal alone we don’t need u Kroenke.
The Premier League is now a cash cow. Whatever amount that Usmanov offers he will re-coup within 3 years I’m sure so it’s nothing to him. Unfortunately, Kroenke is also well aware that the Premier League is a cash cow and might refuse to sell no matter the price 🙁
He has made quite a profit already on his shares investment and like you say won’t let his tight grip on the cash cow that is AFC go loosely.
Now if the fans ran him out of town that might persuade him it was more hassle than it’s worth, however, unfortunately with the apathy amongst Arsenal fans this will surely not happen or if it does not be significant enough.
Just read Sky’s ‘article’ (I use this term in the loosest sense possible), and sky ‘understands’ that Usmanov has not given up on his bid to take over AFC. I want it to be true but
This is simply not news but click bait sky aren’t worried about such concerns.
Bit more journalism in this one from the guardian:
hTeeTeePeeS://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/may/23/arsenal-stan-kroenke-owner-investor-leech-alisher-usmanov
A Pretty bleak future with Stan the investment man around!
If Usmanov sees the hate Arsenal fans have for Kroenke it will give him an added insentive to push for control. It will be a huge boost to his ego to know he’d be coming in with massive support from the fans.
honestly just look @ tothamhot spur not to talk of chelsea, in fact arsenal don’t create fear anymore that will tell you that our value as a force in the EPL and UCL as dropped, the only solution is for the club to be sold
“Help us Usmanov, you’re our only hope!”
If usmanov buys and takes control with wenger in charge I bet you he will win premier league and champions league , we fans have to make the American very very unwanted . Wenger needs our backing and usamnov ?WE DONT WANT YOU GO Back home (yank) YOU ARE NOT WANTED US ARSENAL FANS WILL START TO HATE YOU SO MUCH , YOU WILL WISH YOU HEARD OF THE NAME ARSENAL ..We fans are the only ones who can drive him out . Only then he will fill stress …..PEOPLE POWER We have to unite ……..
You have our support Usmanov I realy want a very real change; solid change and that doesn’t come from Wenger only but a mafia boss himself. Cause it’s proof-positive to me when Usmanove’s recent statement came: it shown no fault at Wenger as he even intends to give him one more year for good transition and to choose his predecessor.
This is a pure mirror to all that the true culprit is Kroenke. Please Usmanov increase 5 he offer he can’t reject, we need him out of our beloved club.. u have my support
This is excellent news. So pleased to hear that Usmanov won’t give-up.
And don’t believe all that stuff about how “Wenger will stay and choose his successor”. It’s a smoke-screen to win favour with the board.
When a company does a take-over, they always say that they will “Favour continuity” so there’s less opposition. Once the take-over is complete, it’s all change. And we need plenty of that.
Come on Usmanov!!!
If Usmanov says Wenger can do more if given full financial backing from the board then I believe him totally. Kroenke OUT!