According to the Sun, Usmanov is "close to seizing full control" of Arsenal

Usmanov, who has been convicted of forgery and extortion, (though subsequently pardoned- by whom is in dispute), must be the most unsavoury figure involved in British football.

1) Why are you reading the Sun?

2) There is no news value whatsoever in that story. Bracewell-Smith got maneuvered off the board months ago, in part (its thought) because she was considering offloading her shares to Usmanov. All that story says is that she's still considering it. B

In any case, her shares plus Usmanov's don't give him 50% - it gives him a little over 40%, which is exactly what Kroenke and Fiszman have together. The fight, when it eventually comes, has alays been likely to focus on the 15% or so of shares that don't belong to any of the four major shareholders.

A number of other blogs like the BBC website, link to the site.

The very fact that it's appearing in the Sun suggests that the PR battle is heating up.

As I'm sure you know Stock market rules dictate that when anyone has more than 29.9 % then that triggers a full bid.

..or it suggests someone wants people to believe it is heating up. Kroenke's still closer to 30% than Usmanov and remains the likeliest eventual owner.

Shit. How do I re-size that?

I hope you're right, but 45.6% is not a majority.

There has been more activity elsewhere
suggesting that USmanov has a double strategy to win over the undecided fans of paying over the odds for their shares, (for those who see their shares as an investment) and suggesting that Red And White holdings will loosen the purse strings and deliver success on the field (for those shareholders who are fans first and foremost).

In case any are reading this, Usmanov is not someone any respectable institution, whether Arsenal or the Premier League (or indeed a law firm like Schillings) should be in business with.

yes, i saw that guardian piece a week ago. But it's weak on detail And the Sun adds exactly nothing in terms of new information beyond this already weak beginning.

I'm with you on Usmanov, obviously. I'm just not clear where a Russian oil and gas magnate is going to get the dosh for a takeover when oligarchs in general are cash-tied and resource-based ones doubly so.

nefertiti wrote:


Didn't this guy lose a considerable amount of his wealth over the last 12 months?.

Wry smiles all round in relation to the Premier League who seem to have no scruples with who jumps on the bandwagon.

As much as I dislike them, Arsenal do seem to be a much more conservatively run club than there pears.

I guess a rhetorical question, but would Usmanov really pass the "fit and proper" test? If so, it's even more of a fucking joke than I already thought.

Etienne wrote:


Window dressing. Richard Scudamore style.

He's about to make over USD 6 billion on the Facebook IPO.