Arsenal takeover about to hit the news?

[fbloke]

Well Lady Bracewell-Smith has put her 15.9% stake in Arsenal on the market.

Thats the happy club about to be ripped apart then!<br /><br />-- Mon Apr 12, 2010 5:36 pm --<br /><br />Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith is selling her stake of about 16%, potentially sparking a battle for control of the club, Sky News' City editor Mark Kleinman has revealed.
The spotlight will turn on the club's two biggest investors; Kroenke Sports Enterprises and Red & White Holdings.
Kroenke is owned by American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke, while Red & White is fronted by the Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov.
Lady Bracewell-Smith has hired bankers at Blackstone to find a buyer.
Kleinman said: "I'm told that Red & White may add modestly to its 26% stake.
My City sources say they are slightly puzzled as to why Lady Bracewell-Smith has appointed City advisers to sell the stake, given that she served on the board alongside Kroenke and knows many of the protagonists well already.
City editor Mark Kleinman
"But Usmanov does not want to bid for the club at the moment - an action that would be automatically triggered under the City takeover code if its stake went to 30% or more.
"Kroenke, though, is unlikely to have such reservations, given that he has been slowly accumulating shares to stand on the brink of mounting a full takeover."
Reports suggest Kroenke is due to decide whether he will sell his shares in the St Louis Rams, an NFL team.
That would give him some of the financial firepower required to lodge an acceptable bid for Arsenal.

Investor Stan Kroenke
Kroenke made his debut on the Arsenal shareholder register in 2007, when he bought a 9.9% stake from ITV.
Since then, the club has enjoyed little real success on the pitch despite playing what most purists believe is the most attractive football in the Premier League.
Kleinman added: "My City sources say they are slightly puzzled as to why Lady Bracewell-Smith has appointed City advisers to sell the stake, given that she served on the board alongside Kroenke and knows many of the protagonists well already.
"Her decision to appoint Blackstone may therefore suggest that she has no intention of selling to the American."
The news caps a frenetic few weeks in the world of football finance.
Last month, Kleinman revealed that a group of City financiers known as the Red Knights was plotting a bid to buy Manchester United.
And on Saturday it emerged that Liverpool's American owners are to appoint Barclays Capital to find a buyer for the club.
No one involved in the Arsenal situation has been available for comment, while Blackstone has declined to comment.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Kroenke could have got the 30% by now if he'd really wanted to. Possibly he wanted to see which way Nina Bracewell Smith would go. The fact she's appointed a borker to handle the sale might suggest she isn't going to sell to either Kroenke or Usmanov. She has no great love for the Arsenal board after she got sacked as a director.

It could be a difficult battle if one or other doesn't want to sell as, although 50.1% will give someone control, ideally you need 75%. As Usmanov & Kroenke both have over 25%, this could be difficult.

 

[fbloke]

She seems to have moved almost as soon as an agreed 12 month agreement not to sell expired.

 

[stockportblue]

Read somewhere she wasnt happy with the way the board had treated her.Could be shes about to get vengeful.

 

[MCFC-alan88]

This could get juicy. Usmanov anyone?

 

[fbloke]

This could get juicy. Usmanov anyone?

And if it gets messy then perhaps, just perhaps they do a Liverpool ;-)

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I wonder whether Wenger will stick to his "principles" if they get a shit load of money to spend or whether his principles were really just a lack of funds.

 

[fbloke]

I wonder whether Wenger will stick to his "principles" if they get a shit load of money to spend or whether his principles were really just a lack of funds.

Well thats the challenge for him of course.

Just keeping hold of Cesc will be a challenge.

Imagine a new owner who could recoup £50m in one easy deal saying no?

 

[eagle]

This could get juicy. Usmanov anyone?

Hope not, he would probably invest in the club. Lets hope the yank gets it as he will bleed the club dry like the others have.

 

[MCFC Fort Worth]

This could get juicy. Usmanov anyone?

Hope not, he would probably invest in the club. Lets hope the yank gets it as he will bleed the club dry like the others have.

Kroenke won't do that. He is one of the world's smartest businessmen. However, he will treat the fans like shit and never show up to watch his team. He is rarely seen at Nuggets or Avalanche games. He has been to 1 Rapids match....I think. He may invest some though. One thing is for sure...the ticket prices will go up more. His ticket prices out here for the Avalanche are ridiculous!

 

[Lancet Fluke]

I wonder whether Wenger will stick to his "principles" if they get a shit load of money to spend or whether his principles were really just a lack of funds.

Well thats the challenge for him of course.

Just keeping hold of Cesc will be a challenge.

Imagine a new owner who could recoup £50m in one easy deal saying no?

If Robinho and Berbatov were valued at 30 million plus then any owner worth their salt would want at least 70 million for Fabregas.

 

[Ricster]

Im hoping Kroenke gets his hands on it.

Another American we can all laugh at when it goes terribly wrong :)

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

Im hoping Kroenke gets his hands on it.

Another American we can all laugh at when it goes terribly wrong :)

I dont often disagree with Ricster but;

What if he learns from the mistakes of others? It would be bad news for their rivals of which our Club now undoubtedly is. As a Club they have a new Stadium, a solid Fan base, An almost unrivalled History and by a very long way the best Manager in the business. Player wise a replacement for Gallas and the dodgy Keeper and another World Class Forward like Van Persie and the World would be Arsene's Oyster.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Im hoping Kroenke gets his hands on it.

Another American we can all laugh at when it goes terribly wrong :)

I dont often disagree with Ricster but;

What if he learns from the mistakes of others? It would be bad news for their rivals of which our Club now undoubtedly is. As a Club they have a new Stadium, a solid Fan base, An almost unrivalled History and by a very long way the best Manager in the business. Player wise a replacement for Gallas and the dodgy Keeper and another World Class Forward like Van Persie and the World would be Arsene's Oyster.

But surely Wenger would not buy a world class striker. He's made it clear that he thinks it is immoral to spend vast amounts of money and surely he isn't going to turn out to be a bull shitting hypocrite.

 

[Ricster]

Im hoping Kroenke gets his hands on it.

Another American we can all laugh at when it goes terribly wrong :)

I dont often disagree with Ricster but;

What if he learns from the mistakes of others? It would be bad news for their rivals of which our Club now undoubtedly is. As a Club they have a new Stadium, a solid Fan base, An almost unrivalled History and by a very long way the best Manager in the business. Player wise a replacement for Gallas and the dodgy Keeper and another World Class Forward like Van Persie and the World would be Arsene's Oyster.

I have based what i said on what he has done in America. Each franchise he made successful at the start of his tenure, but seems to have sent each backwards in their own way.

Also, a couple of years ago he double booked the Denver Nuggets basketball arena with the WWE, something he got slated for. Surely someone with such a good business head should oversee stuff like that?

 

[bluemoon32]

Wonder if Gooner fans will whinge as much about this as they have about our owners ?

 

[fbloke]

Im hoping Kroenke gets his hands on it.

Another American we can all laugh at when it goes terribly wrong :)

I dont often disagree with Ricster but;

What if he learns from the mistakes of others? It would be bad news for their rivals of which our Club now undoubtedly is. As a Club they have a new Stadium, a solid Fan base, An almost unrivalled History and by a very long way the best Manager in the business. Player wise a replacement for Gallas and the dodgy Keeper and another World Class Forward like Van Persie and the World would be Arsene's Oyster.

Assuming that the new owner of Arsenal doesnt take out loans to fund his new purchases development then how deep will his new pockets need to be?

Well I would venture that no deeper than before.

How many players does any one team need and how many of the truly best players are there available to buy?

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

I dont know a single thing about the Finances or the History of either of the parties involved. My Post was in (former) " Typical City" mode of fearing the worst. I would imagine that Arsenal's Finances are in a much healthier state than Dippers and the Scum and hence for that reason any investment or successful takeover/change in ownership where unlike the situations with Hicks/Gillett and the Glazers there is no Blood spilt on the Carpet. That gives an added boost to a major rival.

 

[MCFC Fort Worth]

I dont often disagree with Ricster but;

What if he learns from the mistakes of others? It would be bad news for their rivals of which our Club now undoubtedly is. As a Club they have a new Stadium, a solid Fan base, An almost unrivalled History and by a very long way the best Manager in the business. Player wise a replacement for Gallas and the dodgy Keeper and another World Class Forward like Van Persie and the World would be Arsene's Oyster.

I have based what i said on what he has done in America. Each franchise he made successful at the start of his tenure, but seems to have sent each backwards in their own way.

Also, a couple of years ago he double booked the Denver Nuggets basketball arena with the WWE, something he got slated for. Surely someone with such a good business head should oversee stuff like that?

When he took over the Nuggets they were like City of the late 90s

 

[Pam]

I dont often disagree with Ricster but;

What if he learns from the mistakes of others? It would be bad news for their rivals of which our Club now undoubtedly is. As a Club they have a new Stadium, a solid Fan base, An almost unrivalled History and by a very long way the best Manager in the business. Player wise a replacement for Gallas and the dodgy Keeper and another World Class Forward like Van Persie and the World would be Arsene's Oyster.

But surely Wenger would not buy a world class striker. He's made it clear that he thinks it is immoral to spend vast amounts of money and surely he isn't going to turn out to be a bull shitting hypocrite.

Wenger's genius lies in picking up people like Henry for a million quid. I don't see him ever splurging out Berbatov style money for people unless he's about to change the philosophy of a life time.