May 11 – Potential bidders from Europe, North America, China, the Middle East and Africa have expressed an interest in purchasing a 16 per cent stake in Premier League Arsenal put up for sale by one of the club’s biggest shareholders.
Nina Bracewell-Smith, Arsenal’s fourth biggest investor, last month put her stake up for sale, appointing United States private equity firm Blackstone Group, who have reportedly received interest from up to 12 parties across the world.
Whoever purchases the shares could potentially play a leading role in a takeover battle between American Stan Kroenke and Russian Alisher Usmanov.
Bracewell-Smith’s decision to sell her shares sparked speculation that the club’s two big investors could make a bid for control.
Usmanov’s investment vehicle Red & White Holdings has refused to rule out making a move to add to its existing 26.4 per cent holding.
Kroenke owns a 29.9 per cent stake.
Daniel Fiszman is the third biggest investor with a 16.1 per cent stake.
If any of the top trio bought Bracewell-Smith’s stake it would lift them over the 30 per cent threshold which requires a formal offer to be made for the business under City takeover rules.
But there will be no decision on who will buy Bracewell-Smith’s shares for at least six weeks, it is believed.
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