Kroenke close to Arsenal takeover after buying more shares

December 21 – Stan Kroenke (pictured) has bought a further 25 Arsenal shares and the American businessman is now only 17 shares from being required to make a full takeover bid.
 
Kroenke, the club’s largest shareholder, bought the shares in the Gunners at a total price of £212,500, according to the club.

Kroenke, who is also the owner of NBA Denver Nuggets, a professional Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids and NHL side Colorado Avalanche, had raised his stake to 29.9 per cent last month.

Once he holds 30 per cent of the shares the 62-year-old, whose personal wealth is estimated at $3.5 billion (£2.1 billion), will be required to launch an official takeover bid.

Arsenal, currently third in the Premier League, have been the subject of takeover speculation since Kroenke and Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov began building stakes in the club.

Usmanov owns around 26 per cent of the club’s shares.

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 Usmanov increases holding in Arsenal
November 2009: American Kroenke close to making Arsenal takeover bid