Arsenal is currently owned by American billionaire Stan Kroenke, who is a majority shareholder. Uzbek Alisher Usmanov also has a significant stake in the club. The Sun newspaper has reported a Middle East consortium consisting of a number of investors from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are seemingly trying to set up a meeting with Kroenke, and will be hoping to tempt the American to sell his shares to the group. They are only interested in Kroenke’s shares and not of Usmanov’s, as they are believed to be open to the idea of joint ownership of Arsenal along with Usmanov.
The group intends to tempt Kroenke with a tempting offer of £20,000 per share for all of Kroenke’s shares. The total amount which they are willing to offer him comes up to a massive £830 million.
The cumulated fee over the years could amount to a whooping £1.5 billion, which is the biggest takeover of any club in history by a huge distance. It is also almost double the amount of the £800 million the Glazer family paid for acquiring ownership of Manchester United.
The news came out just prior to Arsenal’s pivotal trip to their neighbors and rivals Tottenham and you can’t help but think that the story could have been a bit of a distraction but in fairness neither the manager nor any of the players looked to use it as an excuse.
There are, however, certain conditions attached to this possible takeover. The group will go ahead and make the huge bid only if Arsenal manage to secure Champions League qualification for next season. They feel that the Gunners are in danger of going into free fall, if they fail to achieve 4th place for next season, like Liverpool. If this story is to be believed and Wenger himself said he knew nothing about it when questioned on Sky Sports, then it is absolutely vital for boss Arsene Wenger and his men to finish in the top 4, if they wish to attract the riches of the Middle East consortium.
A source also revealed, Arsenal is at a pivotal position at the moment. The fear is that the club is facing a cycle of decline like Liverpool. From our point of view it is the perfect moment to make this bid because at this moment in time you can still genuinely justify this extraordinary valuation on the club.
“We will not bid for Arsenal if they go into decline. Kroenke and Usmanov will not get this kind of valuation if Arsenal do not succeed and will not get this kind of valuation ever again.”
Hypothetically, if Arsenal do secure 4th spot, and if the takeover does take place, what does that mean for the manager and the team? Arsene Wenger would be assured of his job, given the fact that the Frenchman is understood to be highly-regarded by the consortium. Also, the group have claimed to wipe off the club’s £290 million debt of the Emirates Stadium. They have also promised a hefty transfer fee every summer, along with the financial resources required to tie down the current players to extended and improved deals.
Do you think Arsenal will follow the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain and be taken over by the riches of the Middle East?