Kroenke ups Arsenal stake

[Trina]

Stan Kroenke has purchased a further 160 shares in Arsenal to take his total holding of the Premier League club to 28.58 per cent.

Last year, American businessman Kroenke accepted an invitation to join the Gunners' board and he is currently the club's largest shareholder.

News of the latest purchase, which cost £1.36million, sees the Kroenke Enterprise Group edge ever closer to the 30 per cent threshold, whereby they would be obliged to make a takeover bid.

However, it has been reported Kroenke has no intentions of any such move, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis recently stating Arsenal's current capital structure is "very efficient".

This week, Arsenal's second-largest stakeholder Alisher Usmanov saw a proposal for a rights issue of new shares to generate cash for new signings rejected by the Gunners' board.

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 77,00.html

[SE13]

And this from Auntie Beeb:

Arsenal director Stan Kroenke, the largest shareholder at the north London club, has again increased his stake.

Mr Kroenke has bought a further 160 shares at £8,500 per share, taking his holding in Arsenal to 28.58%.

It takes Mr Kroenke closer to the 30% threshold that would force him to make an offer for the remaining shares.

In May, the American tycoon had increased his stake to 28.3%. giving him a bigger holding than Uzbekistani metals magnate Alisher Usmanov.

Mr Kroenke also owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, and the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Share plan rejected

Mr Usmanov, a billionaire, owns more than 25% of the club through investment vehicle Red and White Holdings.

The Arsenal board recently rejected the Uzbek-born Russian billionaire's plan to provide fresh funds for transfers, as well as cutting the club's debt by issuing new shares.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis turned down the request in favour of the current arrangement which would see the Emirates Stadium club remain self-financing.

Following the rejection, Mr Usmanov cast doubt on the club's ability to provide enough money for the team to challenge for honours

© The BBC

[She_Gunner_Wales]

The shares can only shift between the current major shareholders on the board atm, so i wonder who is offloading them?

[Sims]

I'd rather Kroenke take over the club who has sporting knowledge than some fat Uzbek.

[liam_cork]

dont like either of these c****

[Goose]

instead of buying shares off each other, they should put some more money into the club

[natalie]

I'd rather Kroenke take over the club who has sporting knowledge than some fat Uzbek.

Agree with you sim SK is better option in my view

[gzagee]

ALISHER USMANOV ARSENAL THREAT

Senior Gunners shareholder ready to rock boat

By NEIL ASHTON, 11/07/2009
ALISHER USMANOV is threatening to put Arsenal's future to a shareholder vote by calling an EGM.

Usmanov, who has a 25 per cent stake in the Gunners, is convinced fans are fed up with the board's lack of cash support for manager Arsene Wenger.

The Uzbekistan billionaire will wait for the Champions League qualifiers in August before making his next move. Usmanov fears financial meltdown if the club fails to qualify.

He has made repeated attempts for a greater say in the boardroom but has always been blocked by the Arsenal hierarchy.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/4 ... -back.html

[the real gooner]

The shares can only shift between the current major shareholders on the board atm, so i wonder who is offloading them?

Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith holds 15.9%. She resigned from the board several months ago and could sell enough to allow Kroenke or Usmanov a dominant postion, they need 2% and 5% respectively..

Watch this space

[Gould]

if we were to be taken over. do you think they will try and do it before august to get some money into the club before the window closes. and do you think they will pump major money into the club like the russian mob at chelsea

[Arsenal Tone]

I think the board were wrong to dismiss Usmanov's suggestions to raise more money for transfers.

Whilst I understand people's concerns about Usmanov's reputation I would rather he took over than Kroenke. The likes of Chelsea and Man City are not in debt, if the billionnaires leave then they might not be as successfull, but the won't be in debt. Man Utd (and possibly Liverpool) are in a lot of debt and could be in trouble a few years down the line.

I don't think that we can continue to compete at the highest level using the 'self-financing' arrangement favoured by Kroenke. There are a number of clubs outside of the top four who are spending big money and our top four spot is in danger if we don't make improvements. Supporters raised concerns at the start of last season but were told to trust in Wenger. Whether we blame Wenger or the board we need to do something to enable us to compete at the highest level.

The whole point of moving to the Emirates stadium was to enable us to compete with Europe's elite in terms of wages and transfer funds. That is how it was sold to fans. When we won the league without defeat we were supposed to go on to be one of the biggest clubs in the world. Now we are supposed to be happy with fourth place and a cup run? To get from the team we had then to the team we have now the club must have been mis-managed.

[gzagee]

The likes of Chelsea and Man City are not in debt, if the billionnaires leave then they might not be as successfull, but the won't be in debt.

Oh yeah, you think so? If (and when) the Russian decides he's had enough of the chav toy he'll want back his loan. And Chavs will have 18 months to repay him.
I'll let you work out how much he's plunged into that club. Go figure...

The whole point of moving to the Emirates stadium was to enable us to compete with Europe's elite in terms of wages and transfer funds. That is how it was sold to fans.

Sorry, can you shed some light on something I'm not aware of. Did that stadium come as a free gift? It will eventually allow us to compete at the top level in terms of transfer funds and whatnot. The financing of that project must've started some around 2003, which means our transfer budgets must've become more restricted, even before we left Highbury.

[spikeyao]

Is Arsenal still indebt after building the stadium? If so, why not consider Usmanov's suggestions to clear debt ?

Btw, i don't think Arsenal needs anymore funds for transfer. They just need to polish up their skills and teamworks. Next season champion ==> ARSENAL

[Gould]

Is Arsenal still indebt after building the stadium? If so, why not consider Usmanov's suggestions to clear debt ?

Btw, i don't think Arsenal needs anymore funds for transfer. They just need to polish up their skills and teamworks. Next season champion ==> ARSENAL

300 mill over 25years repayment as far as i remember

[Fordy]

i think its closer to 400 million