City wires report this morning that the Arsenal board is preparing to talk to Stan Kroenke, over concerns about shares being amassed by Alisher Usmanov, the Russian metal billionaire.
This follows Red & White Holdings, the investment vehicle owned by Usmanov and fund manager Farhard Moshiri, lifting its stake to 21% from 14.58%, with a £110m investment.
Kroenke owns 12.2% of Arsenal and an alliance with the lockdown group would see any potential takeover blocked.
Soprts business journalist Mihir Bose on the BBC web site, for one, thinks Kroenke won’t sell to Red & White Holdings: “Keith Edelman (the Arsenal chief executive) has told me ‘I do not see what the buying of shares does. It does not change anything’.
“The board’s confidence is all the greater because I understand they spoke to Kroenke soon after the latest Usmanov move emerged. Kroenke laughed off the thoughts of selling to the Russian-based businessman.”
Bose believes Usmanov will now focus his attention on the smaller shareholders in the club, to get up to the 25% blocking vote. Around 21.36% of Arsenal shares are spread among approximately 1,200 minor shareholders.
Meanwhile Arsenal and Setanta have signed a six-year deal for a club channel to be screened on the satellite broadcaster. Arsenal will get revenue from delayed rights to its matches.
To get a flavour it will be similar to the Liverpool club channel being launched this week.
Setanta is paying Arsenal and Liverpool a rights fee in order to drive subscriptions. Manchester United and Chelsea require the clubs to pay satellite and subscriber management costs.
The FT reports that: “Setanta will show all Arsenal’s games in leading competitions, live coverage of reserve, academy and women’sgames and exclusive interviews with players and staff. Also included in the deal are sponsorship and marketing rights, intellectual property and media access inside Arsenal’s Emirates stadium.”
Emmanuel Petit will become an important Arsenal pundit.
Meanwhile Wenger spoke yesterday of letting Henry go: “It was a big gamble, and it is one I have not won yet because we have only played five games and it is nothing.
“I knew I took a gamble by losing Thierry – but you cannot keep (players like Emmanuel) Adebayor (out). At his age you have to let him play.
And on Cesc Fabregas: “Cesc’s vision is comparable to Platini‘s. It is a compliment, but he is at the start of his career. Cesc has it all in front of him, but he has a vision.
“He will still develop. I remember Platini was more of a striker and Cesc is more of a midfielder. He is adding that element to his game, but Platini had more of a striker’s mentality. He could stay quiet for a game, then think, ‘I will score a goal’. Cesc is a guy who likes to be at the heart of things.”
The Mirror reckons Wenger has had Seville’s 19 year old midfielder Diego Capel watched at the recent u-20 World Cup in Canada. He is in the squad tonight but unlikely to play.
Most papers go with an unchanged line-up. Senderos is back, but most reckon Gilberto will stay at centre back. Betfair have a Seville win at 3/1.