Gunners cool over Usmanov

Usmanov: No Arsenal meeting

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Arsenal are unconcerned by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov's plans to obtain a 'blocking stake' in the Premier League club.

And managing director Keith Edelman admitted that the Gunners are yet to hold a meeting with Usmanov or his Red and White Holdings Limited group.

Usmanov currently holds a 21 per cent stake in the Gunners and has spoken of his plans to increase that to over 25 per cent before waiting for the value of his stock to increase.

A 'blocking stake' would be a stake high enough to make the corporate running of the club more difficult to carry out without a certain amount of shareholder backing.

Distraction

But the Gunners believe even owning a quarter of the club would give him very little power and Edelman believes Arsenal would continue to operate as normal.

Edelman said: "I am unsure what he [Usmanov] can do with 25 per cent, and I do not believe he can stop us operating the business on a day-to-day basis.

"It is a distraction for us to keep talking about it, but we are trying to focus on the team getting the job done and we do not think it affects them."

And Edelman added: "As far as Usmanov is concerned, we have always stated our belief as a responsible corporate body, we meet anybody who requests a meeting, and that is still our policy."

Review

One possible step for Red and White Holdings Limited - now Arsenal's second-largest shareholder - is to seek a place on the board.

But a return of former vice-chairman David Dein, under his new role with Usmanov's group, would have to be approved by the current Gunners board.

Edelman said: "The board can review anybody being a director at any time, and either accept or decline it.

"If he had 49.999 per cent, but the board did not think he would add value as a director, it would say no.

"It would have to go over 50 per cent for the board not to have a choice."