Arsenal chief Stan Kroenke insists he will ‘NOT sell any stake’ in club despite fan fury and £2.5bn Daniel Ek interest
STAN KROENKE has REFUSED to sell Arsenal – despite fan protests and Spotify founder Daniel Ek plotting a £2.5BILLION bid.
The American billionaire, 73, released a statement which will come as a crushing blow to Gunners fans.
Kroenke has had sole ownership of Arsenal since buying out rival shareholder Alisher Usmanov three years ago.
And from his US base in Denver, Colorado, he is virtually immune to the growing hostility of Gunners fans back in London.
The statement read: “In recent days we have noted media speculation regarding a potential takeover bid for Arsenal Football Club. We remain 100 per cent committed to Arsenal and are not selling any stake in the club.
“We have not received any offer and we will not entertain any offer.
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“Our ambition for Arsenal remains to compete to win the biggest trophies in the game and our focus remains on improving our competitiveness on the pitch to achieve this.
“Stan Kroenke and Josh Kroenke, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.”
Arsenal were one of six money-grabbing clubs who signed up for the closed shop European Super League franchise.
But fans across England united against the renegade clubs trying to ruin football and quashed the scheme just days after it was announced.
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However, supporter fury has remained with thousands of Gunners fans taking to the streets outside the Emirates to demand the unpopular Americans sell up.
And only Monday it emerged supporters were planning another huge march before their Europa League clash with Villareal.
There are even plans to take those protests inside the Emirates when the stadium is finally opened up to 10,000 spectators for the final Premier League game of thew season against Brighton next month.
Amid the widespread anger at the scheme and the regime, Spotify’s billionaire founder Ek announced he would be interested in buying the club.
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The 38-year-old Swede is said to have enlisted the help of Gunners legends Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira.
The song-streaming entrepreneur has supported the Gunners since he was eight when his favourite player – and Swedish compatriot – Anders Limpar graced Highbury.
He has taken his love for the North Londoners into adulthood and is said to watch live Gunners games on his laptop during Spotify board meetings.
But it appears Ek’s interest will go to waste with Kroenke digging his heels in.
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