Arsenal: Stan Kroenke 'committed long term' despite Alisher Usmanov bid
Last updated on .From the section Football
Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is committed to the club in the long term, sources have told the BBC.
Kroenke has shown no interest in a £1bn bid by Uzbek-born Russian Alisher Usmanov to take full control of the Gunners.
It is understood the American's ambition is to win the Premier League and make Arsenal a force in Europe.
Gunners legend Ian Wright says the club needs the spending power of a billionaire such as Usmanov, adding that "something has to change".
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"He has put in the bid and it is great news," former striker Wright told BBC Radio 5 live.
"Something has to change, whether it is the manager Arsene Wenger or whether it is the board upstairs."
Arsenal need other teams to slip up in Sunday's final round of matches to avoid missing out on Champions League qualification for the first time in 21 years.
Wenger, who has been manager since 1996, has been the target of protests from some of the club's fans.
The 67-year-old Frenchman's future at the club will be decided at a board meeting after Arsenal meet Chelsea in the FA Cup final on 27 May.
"It is not looking good for Arsenal at the moment," Wright told 5 live's Friday Football Social.
"They may be out of the Champions League - something they are not used to - and they have to beat one of the best Chelsea sides I have seen for a long time in the FA Cup final to try and get something from the season.
"Where are they going to sign players from? Who is going to want to come to Arsenal instead of anywhere else in London? At the moment, they are not an attractive proposition.
"We are already missing out on the managers we are supposedly interested in and we are going to start missing out on the kind of players that are going to be available and want to play in the Premier League.
"Top players may want to leave. Too much is up in the air.
"Something has got to happen for Arsenal to go to that next level. This bid will galvanise the fans."
'Arsenal need a winner like Abramovich'
Metal magnate Usmanov owns 30% of Arsenal's shares but is not part of the board or decision-making at the club.
Usmanov said in April that Kroenke must "bear huge responsibility" for the club's failures on the pitch.
The Gunners' London rivals Chelsea won the Premier League this season - the fifth time they have done so under the ownership of billionaire Roman Abramovich, who has spent heavily since taking control in 2003.
"Abramovich is a winner," added Wright, who scored 185 goals in 288 appearances for Arsenal.
"Stan Kroenke sees it as another asset. If you look at all his other franchises, they are doing the same. They are mediocre, with poor attendances and aren't achieving anything as a team. That is where Arsenal are at the moment.
"We need an owner like Abramovich, who wants to win. I would swap Arsenal's last 10 years for what Chelsea have done."
Stan Kroenke's sporting franchises | ||
---|---|---|
Team | Sport | Latest performance |
Arsenal | Football - Premier League | Fifth in league, FA Cup finalists |
Colorado Rapids | Football - MLS | Bottom of Western Conference |
Colorado Avalanche | Hockey - NHL | Bottom of Western Conference |
Denver Nuggets | Basketball - NBA | Ninth in Western Conference |
Los Angeles Rams | American Football - NFL | Third in NFC West |
Analysis
Richard Conway, BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent
Alisher Usmanov has wanted control of Arsenal for some time.
A long-standing critic of the current board, he has attempted to curry favour with fans by calling for greater investment by Stan Kroenke. He believes the team should be performing at a much higher level.
Now, with questions swirling over Arsene Wenger's future and with a lack of Champions League football next season looking inevitable, he has made his move.
However, he has been rebuffed.
The big question is whether this was a final throw of the dice by Usmanov? And, with seemingly no prospect of Kroenke selling, will he turn his purchasing power towards another Premier League club?
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Football is going to the dogs, totally soulless. But fans will always buy it no matter what, so it's not a problem really.
...and you want another one?Wright you are so wrong on this one
No reference to the fans. We just pay!
That's why players like Fat Boy Rooney can blow £500,000 in night in a Manchester casino while people sleep rough on the streets outside in the city he claims to love.
Football fans claim they are "part of a family" - rubbish, they are sheep to be fleeced by the clubs and players
Wasn't Usmanov called a gangster and thug by the ambassador to Uzbekistan? Didn't he go to jail for 6 years for corruption?
Makes the Venky guys look fit and proper.
Football fans chasing instant success and cash deserve what they get.
If you know this but still pay for your sky sports, buy the Jersey, get a season ticket you have no right to complain. Vote with your cash. I'm former arsenal, current Barnet fan.
For those that don't know - There are FREE streaming sites these days which are of decent quality where even the games not shown on tv can be viewed.
Us FANS are being absolutely leeched for the maximum they can get away with.
#BoycottSky
So did the oil millions win the league for Guardiola
Did Man Utd win with their megabucks win for the moaner
So why would Arsenal win with the dodgy russian dosh
What qualification does Wrighty have that makes him anywhere near Wenger
UEFA and the EU are separate entities. EU membership has absolutely bearing on any UEFA or FIFA competition entries. There are many countries competing in Champions League without being EU members such as Russia, Switzerland, Norway, Turkey, etc. The only possible issue might be Work Permits.