Kroenke set for Gunners bid

[triniairman]

Kroenke set for Gunners bid
Sky sources claim American businessman Stan Kroenke will launch an official takeover bid for Arsenal within days.

Kroenke Sports Enterprise (KSE) currently has a 12 per cent holding in the North London club after initially purchasing a 9.9 per cent stake in April.

He has already held talks with Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood and managing director Keith Edelman and has requested to meet other board members, which could signal the start of his bid to buy the club.

Paul Andrews, the executive vice-president and chief marketing officer of KSE, was remaining coy on whether Kroenke was considering increasing his stake in Arsenal when asked earlier this week.

He said: "We never comment on any future, possible investments of any kind. Each investment is evaluated based on its merit and it will be assessed on an ongoing basis."

Kroenke needs to reach 30 per cent before being obliged to launch a takeover, according to Stock Exchange rules.

He is expected to rapidly increase his holding in Arsenal over the coming days as he prepares to mount a formal takeover, which sources suggest is imminent.

The takeover is understood to value Arsenal at around £650million. The Gunners are currently worth in the region of £423million.

If Kroenke is successful, he will become the richest American owner of a Premier League club, surpassing Manchester United's Malcolm Glazer, and Aston Villa's Randy Lerner.

Kroenke already owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the NHL's Colorado Avalanche and MLS' Colorado Rapids, while he is part-owner of the NFL's St Louis Rams.
http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=477799&CPID=8&clid=3&lid=2&title=Kroenke+set+for+Gunners+bid&channel=football_home&

[DAFJ14]

All that takeover bid rumour flying around is just nonsense. The club doesn't really need that support, their long term financial future is already secure and besides, if there was going to be a takeover, it would happen before the season gets underway..just to minimize unrest and all that jazz.

[PantherX]

Takeovers have nothing to do with the needs of the clubs, it's about the interests of the potential investor.

The Premier League has been attracting interest from investors for a while now and the new TV deal has only increased that interest so it was only a matter of time before the Arse was in someones sights.  The fact that their financial future is secure (as you say) only make the club a more attractive proposition.

When money starts flying at the current owners don't be surprised when they sell, it's all about business.

The teams has consisted almost entirely of foreigners for years now so a foreign owner fits in with the club philosophy anyway .

[Jah Gol]

If this sort of thing continues the Premiership would be able to ligitimately boast of being the best league in the world in a few years. The influx of Latin players and coaches has already begun.