ARSENAL USMANOV BID IS OVER

Uzbek billionaire ready to sell his Gunners stake

ALISHER USMANOV - wealth

11/10/2008

ALISHER USMANOV has been advised NOT to go ahead with a takeover of Arsenal and is now ready to sell his shares in the club.

The Uzbek billionaire has a 24.9 per cent stake in the club but will concentrate on his steel company, Metalloinvest, which he plans to float on the London Stock Exchange early next year.

The news will be greeted with delight by the Arsenal fans who marched against him last year with a 'Love Arsenal - Hate Usmanov' banner.

But the club may not be clear of a foreign takeover.

A 'lockdown', which stopped shares being sold to outsiders, comes to an end in April next year. Directors Danny Fiszman and Lady Nina Bracewell- Smith have made it known in the City they are ready to sell their shares.

Your comments

This article has 14 comments

neone here that Abramovich's company shares were hit hard. He may wanna sell Chelski, lets just dream n they go down then go bust.

I dnt think we got ne problem we r a steady club. Kronke would be to bad thou, if neone decided to sell, Keep it as it is, its working!!!!

By A.Arsenal.. Posted October 13 2008 at 9:39 AM.

How about the fans buying Usmanov's shares?

Lodge them with Arsenal Supporters Trust - then there would be a 25% blocking stake owned by paying customers.

An idea perhaps?

By Rhys Jaggar.. Posted October 12 2008 at 1:25 PM.

Justin D- you talk utter drivel. I would be amazed if Wenger has even met the fat greasy Man U fan- seeing as he is NOT on the board. Let alone convincing him to buy players??? something that Wenger clearly hasnt done.

Why post if you have nothing sensible to say? Just stay off the internet - go kick a football around perhaps

By iain adams.. Posted October 12 2008 at 11:59 AM.

All the noises Fiszman has made in the last few months eem to indicate that he has NO desire whatsoever to sell - if the report above claims that he has 'indicated to the city that he wants to sell', i'd love to know what/when those indications were, as i clearly missed them

By shedzy.. Posted October 12 2008 at 11:15 AM.

From a lot of people's comments, it's clear people just don't get the Wenger philosophy. We have enough money in the kitty to buy players, but Wenger's project is to bring through a united team of boys who have played the Arsenal way for years.Expensive imports are not his style.

By Rod .. Posted October 12 2008 at 10:23 AM.

am i the only one who find it reasuring at the moment that our club is owned by english owners and has a good financial structure. its not that wenger dosent want to spend on players, he wanted to buy alonso but could not agree the tranfer fee, also players coming through like ramsey, wilshire and Vela show that maybe we dont need to go out and spend millions on players like robinho or tevez. one of the reasons wenger is so good is that he keeps faith in his players. Dont sell out the club to someone who could cause our club to go to pots finacially and also change the ethic behind it!

By josh.. Posted October 12 2008 at 10:16 AM.

Usmanov won`t be the only shlameel not to go thru
with a takeover now that we are in recession. I`m
thinking here of Newcastle & Everton, those interested in the two clubs will most probably become Nuns instead, or at the very least Spurs
players

By Toby Bunch-Bush.. Posted October 12 2008 at 9:48 AM.

Fiszman likely to sell, he is soon to become a tax exile in Switzerland, making selling his shares possible as he wont pay any tax on them. Nina wont sell, the shares have been in her family for years so she would be a reluctant seller. Fisz will sell his shares, but to who? Kroenke doesn't seem interested in increasing his holding at the moment.

By Le Boss.. Posted October 12 2008 at 9:00 AM.

Does noboday else see what is happening to west ham. liverpool, posrtsmouth, newcastle even Man utd sponsors AIG are crashing. all foreign invested clubs will go the way of leeds. i don't want any foreign takeover or we will be a club in the first division saying 'do you remember when....'

By R K.. Posted October 12 2008 at 9:05 AM.

If they don't want Usmanov then bring on Kronke,so someone must make wenger buy top players

By Justin d peacemaker.. Posted October 12 2008 at 8:05 AM.

We really need Usmanov.bcos he usually encourages Wenger to buy players.

By Ahmad Junaid.. Posted October 12 2008 at 6:13 AM.

global meltdown.. think he was hit too hard by recession....

By livearsenal.. Posted October 12 2008 at 3:32 AM.

this is good news for arsenal cos we dont want sugar daddy who only want there money before club. Go away Usmanov and dont come back again.

By john epigagara.. Posted October 12 2008 at 1:08 AM.

Utter rubbish - Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith and Danny are NOT looking to sell their shares. They are committed Gooners and want the club in domestic hands as long as possible, though with Kroenke on board it is feasible that he will takeover the club but with the blessing of the current board.

By Steve.. Posted October 12 2008 at 12:46 AM.

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