Reports: Arsenal valued at £1.8 billion as Kroenke offers £600 million to own 100%

Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium After The Announcement Of Stan Kroenke's Takeover
Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium

Arsenal Football Club has undergone seismic changes after the close of the previous campaign with Arsene Wenger stepping down from the top job at the Emirates after 22 years with the club.

Unai Emery, who engineered a revival of Sevilla before heading to Paris Saint-Germain, where he landed a double in his final season at the club.

Among a number of potential replacements, the board of Arsenal Football Club decided to bring the Spaniard in to replace Wenger.

It now seems that it's not just the team management that is in the midst of major changes. Change is imminent for those who look after the affairs of the club off the field as well.

Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has tabled an offer for the club's remaining shares that values the Gunners at £1.8billion after receiving backing from minority owner Alisher Usmanov.

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Mesut Ozil with Stan Kroenke

The news was announced in a statement to the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with the value of each Arsenal share set at £29,419.64.

A KSE statement says taking the club private will help to further Arsenal's "strategy and ambitions".

In the statement to the stock exchange, Kroenke said KSE were "moving forward with this offer, leading to 100% ownership of the club" and they "appreciate Mr Usmanov's dedication" to Arsenal.

Kroenke already owns 67 per cent of the club and stands to take complete control of Arsenal after Usmanov agreed to sell his 30 per cent stake.

The statement added: "KSE's ambitions for the club are to see it competing consistently to win the Premier League and the Champions League, as well as the major trophies in the women's senior game and at youth level."

KSE said that under "its stewardship since 2011 the club has invested in major transfers, player contracts, analytics, senior non-playing football management employees" and it "expects the club to build on those investments".

Kroenke will be raising the capital to take control of the club with £45m of his own money and borrowing £557m, which he says will not be against the club.

"The offer is not being funded by way of any debt finance (bank loans, payment in kind loans or other debt or quasi-debt interest bearing obligations) for which the payment of interest on, repayment of, or security for any liability (contingent or otherwise) will depend on the business of Arsenal," said the statement.

Kroenke, through his Kroenke Sports and Entertainment (KSE) company, first purchased Arsenal shares in 2007 and has steadily increased his stake since then, becoming a director a year later.


Will this move benefit Arsenal Football Club? Let us know in the comments section below.

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