Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov open to selling his stake in club

The Russian billionaire is said to be exploring a possible sale of his stake in the club

Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov is reportedly open to the prospect of selling his 30 percent stake in the Premier League club. Usmanov, who is believed to be worth close to £10 billion, has been a shareholder of the club since July 2007 and was a vocal critic of the club's lack of ambition after selling Robin van Persie to Manchester United in 2012. He has consistently been linked with a takeover bid of the club but has been met with resistance by majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, who last year tried to buy Usmanov out for £525 million. Speaking after the buy-out attempt Usmanov said: “I have always been and will continue to be an ardent supporter of Arsenal and I see my 30 per cent stake as an important aspect in protecting the best interests of the fans in the club.” However, the Financial Times has reported that Usmanov is now keen to sell his stake, with rumours suggesting that he may instead switch his attention to Everton. Everton's owner, Farhad Moshiri, is a former investment partner of Usmanov and was a part of the Russian's initial share purchase in 2007. The news has not been welcomed by Arsenal fans, who fear that Kroenke will purchase Usminov's shares and strengthen his hold on the club. https://twitter.com/capitalgooner/status/1021672805673394176 https://twitter.com/SamirSimelane/status/1021711058308874240 https://twitter.com/elspanishgooner/status/1021673575634350081 https://twitter.com/DragoArsenal94/status/1021701367293980672 https://twitter.com/TrickyWickyP/status/1021698608754778112