Usmanov offers Wiggy a Billion Quid for Arsenal

[DB10GOONER]

*word censored* has just made a statement he will never sell.

Club is fucked, I hope We freefall now for a few years

The statement reads:

“KSE UK, Inc notes the recent media speculation concerning its shareholding in Arsenal Holdings PLC and confirms its shares are not, and never have been, for sale. KSE is a committed, long term investor in Arsenal and will remain so.”

Just because he shares are not for sale, doesn't mean he wouldn't sell if the right offer came in.

Exactly. Also statements like that are used to avoid speculation affecting share price.

[Herd]

Stans taking care of business !

[flash gunner]

Sell up Stan i'm prepared to sell my soul for Usmanovs billions

[DB10GOONER]

I agree we don't need an owner to pump his personal millions into the club. We are cash rich and have large assets. All we need is an owner who;

A) let's the manager spend a healthy realistic percentage of the club's generated income on new players - Kroenke is ok so far on this front.

B) leads from the top and demands high performance, and sacks failing employees - Kroenke fails miserably on this front. The excuse of "He only took over in 2011" is as stupid as it is laughable. It does not matter shit when he took over, a football man would look at the history of Wenger's rank failure in total, decide the lunacy of his managerial tenure has gone on too long, and sack him. But Kroenke isn't a football man and will allow Wenger's footballing failure to continue once the business side is ok.

If Usmanov is still of the opinion that Wenger must stay (and choose his own replacement ffs ) then he is not what we need either. But who knows what Usmanov feels about that now, over a year later, and with everything that has happened since?

TBH the sad thing is I don't think we ever will have a "football man" as owner ever again. The game has changed at the top level and owners seem to be either Arab/Russian billionaire cúnts that want a new plaything like a PL club to rub their ego, or cynical cold business cúnts that view a PL club purely as an investment. Modern football is populated by so many cúnts it is depressing.

[EastupperA]

Usmanov as an owner will want success, he wants to be at the top table with the real madrids, juventus, Chelseas etc. It's not about his wealth it's about his drive, ego and competitive spirit, these guys want to be top dogs, yachts, artwork, and now sports clubs. It's not about ownership for profit it's about dining at the top tables and is why he would be a better owner for success than US Guys whose ownership is built in the US franchise models of cash generation etc. I guess you could also hope someone like Ma Huateng comes along.....he's got a few quid and would be looking for success as well.

[EastupperA]

He also wants a London club....a Liverpool club just doesn't have the cachet in today's world or market.

[General]

That statement says it all - Long term investor not long term fan.

[General]

He also wants a London club....a Liverpool club just doesn't have the cachet in today's world or market.

Yep the London effect is very influential whether it's buying a club or attracting players, sponsors etc.

[Nos89]

*word censored* has just made a statement he will never sell.

Club is fucked, I hope We freefall now for a few years

The statement reads:

“KSE UK, Inc notes the recent media speculation concerning its shareholding in Arsenal Holdings PLC and confirms its shares are not, and never have been, for sale. KSE is a committed, long term investor in Arsenal and will remain so.”

Just because he shares are not for sale, doesn't mean he wouldn't sell if the right offer came in.

Stan knows the money will keep coming in with the prices we charge and the TV money comes in. Europa League means more matches, more revenue, more dividends.
I also simply don't believe the notion that the best players only go to clubs in CL. How many of the world's best players did we attract in last 10 years? Manure also disproved that theory last summer.
It's the club's ambition and the manager's ambition. Neither have any ambition not the capability to win the league or CL.

[Retro Gunner]

Usmanov as an owner will want success, he wants to be at the top table with the real madrids, juventus, Chelseas etc. It's not about his wealth it's about his drive, ego and competitive spirit, these guys want to be top dogs, yachts, artwork, and now sports clubs. It's not about ownership for profit it's about dining at the top tables and is why he would be a better owner for success than US Guys whose ownership is built in the US franchise models of cash generation etc. I guess you could also hope someone like Ma Huateng comes along.....he's got a few quid and would be looking for success as well.

^^^^^. This. Exactly how I see it. For Stan, it's purely business and a way to further his fortune. For Usmanov, it's ego, power and influence and also a handy way to further legitimise himself, just like Roman did.

I had serious doubts about Wenger in 2006, when he started the process of breaking up our great side and replace it with inferior players, or kids and by 2007, I wanted him out. So, I can see Armchair's view that Wenger must go at any cost. What I don't share, is the faith in Kroenke, because imo he's a parasite who's ultimately bad news. Like others have said, if he hasn't sacked Wenger yet (and as DB has said, he would have done due diligence on our performance pre 2011), then he's clearly unmbitious in terms of glory.....hell, he's told us as much.

I agree that we need Wenger out now, because that will enable an unclouded perspective on Kroenke's worth and remove any need for debate and some on here will now that I've not held back in my active support of the recent protests, including not fogging the issue by dragging "Kroenke Out" into the mix. However, I've thought for about 3 years that, as there's no appetite for turning on Wenger amongst the plankton that support the Club, the best tack might be to get at Kroenke. As seen, out of the blue yesterday and simply on the back of the Usmanov bid, they'll turn on Stan in serious numbers, in an instant. That might not get him out, but the protests will be bigger, noisier and, importantly, inside the bowl and might see an awful lot of empty seat protests. Like any board or owner in any business, the person who'll get the best, is the manager. So, it's possible that the best route to Wenger out, is having a scream up about Kroenke.

I haven't voiced any of this, because I've been (and still am) fervently behind the Wenger out protests, but the Usmanov angle has created another dimension. There is no way he'd tolerate Wenger's bollocks and failures. Why would he spend so much on the Club to further indulge the old clown?? It makes no sense. He's praising Wenger for political reasons...as we well know, the man is sacred to the majority of supporters. If Usmanov got the Club, Arsene would last a year at most. Under Stan, Wenger is safe, because he's giving Stan all he wants. Stan's in the sports club business, it's what he does, we're another franchise and a valuable one. A football club does not fit in Usmanov's business world, it's completely removed and the reason he wants the Arsenal imo, is to do an abramovich.

In short, if the choice were Wenger out now, or Stan replaced by Usmanov now, then I'd see Stan gone in a heartbeat. Now Armchair, that's not a pro Wenger sentiment at all, it's simply that if Alisher got the Club, we'd be free of Kroenke AND Wenger, within a year. Happy days.

I've rattled on there (on my iPhone !) and haven't read it back. Hope it makes some sort of sense !!!

[Herd]

Usmanov is a buddy of Abramovic and the latter goes in Usmanov's box when at the emirates as A doesn't like wearing ties .
GAZPROM who Usmanov owns have a box at Chelsea Usmanov wants his own football Toy to play with .
Spurs arent for sale or west ham so that only leaves us !

Stan isn't selling but you might see his son become CEO if Ivan walks though cos he will want to blood him b4 he starts managing the US franchises.

Might relocate us to Bristol !

[NickF]

In short, if the choice were Wenger out now, or Stan replaced by Usmanov now, then I'd see Stan gone in a heartbeat. Now Armchair, that's not a pro Wenger sentiment at all, it's simply that if Alisher got the Club, we'd be free of Kroenke AND Wenger, within a year. Happy days.

Be nice if this were true, but why is it everyone believes Usmanov will get rid of Wenger within a year?
The evidence is that he probably wouldn't.

[rich31]

There is no way to dress this up...that Kroenke statement spells disaster for the future of our club i think.This bloke sees our club as an investment and nothing more and he is also the one who has happily watched over and supported Wenger for many years now...he clearly plans to stay around and pass it on to his son........Fucking hell when will this nightmare end?...... ....WHAT AN ABSOLUTE TOTAL C&NT HE IS...

[Gunner Rob]

In short, if the choice were Wenger out now, or Stan replaced by Usmanov now, then I'd see Stan gone in a heartbeat. Now Armchair, that's not a pro Wenger sentiment at all, it's simply that if Alisher got the Club, we'd be free of Kroenke AND Wenger, within a year. Happy days.

Be nice if this were true, but why is it everyone believes Usmanov will get rid of Wenger within a year?
The evidence is that he probably wouldn't.

Wenger would not last until Xmas under Usmanov - the Russian has been waiting for years to get Arsenal. You don't pay £2 billion for a club rolling around in the Europa league and Wenger will be incapable of getting us back in the top 4

[Retro Gunner]

In short, if the choice were Wenger out now, or Stan replaced by Usmanov now, then I'd see Stan gone in a heartbeat. Now Armchair, that's not a pro Wenger sentiment at all, it's simply that if Alisher got the Club, we'd be free of Kroenke AND Wenger, within a year. Happy days.

Be nice if this were true, but why is it everyone believes Usmanov will get rid of Wenger within a year?
The evidence is that he probably wouldn't.

My opinion only Nick, but not without some sensible consideration. As I said in my post, Usmanov isn't in the sports club business, so why does he want a football club ? Logic, well my logic, suggests that it's the same drive that motivated Roman, the Arabs at City etc....ego and power and as Herd says above, a rich boys plaything. It isn't and won't ever be that for Stan....he's in the sports club business and sadly for us, the on-field failing sports club business. Success, other than financial return, doesn't turn him on.

I cannot fathom why Usmanov would be willing to pay way over the odds for a football club with a new stadium, great training facilities, a wealthy fanbase AND based in London, just to see it continue to decline under Wenger's management. It would make no sense. As has been said previously, this whole debate is speculation and I can't guarantee anything at all, but most on here are grown men with experience of the World and I can see no sensible reason why Usmanov would sit back and let Il Duce continue to fail season after season. If he was simply after a cash cow (which he hardly needs), he'd stick to the business he knows and has made fortunes in.....surely ?