Daniel Ek says he is ‘very serious’ about buying Arsenal – and has the funds ready to do a deal for the Premier League club.
The Swedish billionaire – the co-founder of streaming giant Spotify – made public his interest in buying the Gunners on social media last week.
Club legends Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira are even rumoured to be working with Ek on the takeover plans, while former boss Arsene Wenger has also offered to lend a hand.
Arsenal’s current owners, the Kroenke family, insist they have no interest in selling up despite fans’ criticism and angry protests over the club’s involvment in the failed European Super League plans.
But that has not deterred Ek – who claims to have been an Arsenal fan since childhood – and the 38-year-old has vowed to press ahead with his bid to buy them.
He told CNBC: “I’ve been an Arsenal fan since I was eight years old. Arsenal is my team. I love the history. I love the players. And of course, I love the fans.
“So as I look at that, I just see a tremendous opportunity to set a real vision for the club to bring it back to its glory. And I want to establish trust with fans and I want to engage the fans again.
“So, to answer your question, I’m very serious. You know, I have secured the funds for it and I want to bring what I think is a very compelling offer to the owners and I hope they hear me out.”
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Asked whether Stan Kroenke’s perceived lack of interest in the club he follows made him “angry”, Ek added: “I’ve been a fan for 30 years of this club and I certainly didn’t expect that this would happen overnight and I’m prepared that this could be a long journey.
“But all I can do is prepare what I think is a very thoughtful offer and bring it to them and hope they hear me out.
“I’m just focused on the club, I focus on the fans and I focus on trying to bring the club back to glory and as you said, I’m first and foremost a fan. That’s the most important thing for me and I want the club to do better – that’s my primary interest.”
The news will no doubt be a boost to Arsenal fans, who are keen to see the back of the Kroenkes.
The club’s involvement in the botched European Super League plans provoked a furious reaction and the already disillusioned fanbase called for the family to sell up after 14 years of ownership.
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Mikel Arteta was asked about the club’s American owners on Wednesday and gave his backing to the Kroenkes.
He said they will do ‘anything it takes’ to improve their relationship with fans amid the takeover talks.
“I don’t know if that will be the case,” Arteta replied when asked about Kroenke speaking publicly.
“If we all feel that is necessary and would be helpful, I’m sure they would do anything it takes to bring the fans closer to them.
“If they (the fans) get the opportunity to know them, I think most of them would be surprised. And if that is the case, I think that will benefit everybody at the football club.
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“It will benefit the fans and bring a lot of clarity. If there is a way to do that and it is going to be helpful, let’s do it, if that is what is necessary.”
Arteta refused to use the Super League debacle or fan protest as an excuse for a poor performance in Friday’s defeat to Everton – but admits he hopes KSE’s statement will end takeover talk.
“It closes a lot of the speculation regarding what could happen because they moved straight away and made very clear lines of their understanding and what they want to do with the football club,” he said.
“We spoke to them (KSE) and I think it was very clear. They have shown their commitment and ambition to the football club because we all want a successful team on the pitch. It was very clear and took any doubt out of the situation.
“A lot of talks and a lot of speculation has been surrounding the situation in the last week or so, our fans raised their voices during the match against Everton.
“But now we have a very clear and very committed statement from the ownership, and I think that it (the speculation) is gone when they said what they did last night.
“They showed the commitment and the desire to take the team where we all want. I think it is very clear where we are moving forward.”
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