July 24 (Reuters) - Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov is exploring a sale of his 30 percent stake in English football club Arsenal, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the billionaire's thinking.


Usmanov had previously made a $1.3 billion offer to buy out the club's majority owner Stan Kroenke, but Kroenke's KSE (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment) UK Inc said its shares in the Premier League club were not for sale.

Usmanov has given up all hope of acquiring the club outright, according to the sources.

Both Arsenal and a representative for Usmanov were not immediately available to comment.

Training looks a totally different animal with Emery: can't wait to see what it does for us on the pitch.

Asked on Twitter for you JJ, here's the response I got:

I've spoken to a colleague and this was already brought up previously, I can confirm that this was not deleted from our end unfortunately there is a glitch on the forum and from time to time threads tend to disappear. They might reappear however this isn't something we can guarantee. Apologies for the whole inconvenience caused by this.

Stewart Robson on  talk**** radio stating that Gazidis was the WORST negotiator
he had ever known & blames him for the Sanchez  £1 c0ck up plus his handling of the
run down of contracts

We dominated AM first half losing 1-0 !

The 'tank' looks as agile when defending as his handle suggests. Looks a weak link there even if he is more impressive going forward.
Some very encouraging signs though: RN looking very sharp , Guendouzi looks good (picking up the ball from the CH's and linking play and Smith Rowe could be anything, very comfortable on the ball and finds time and space with deft touches.

Emile Smith-Rowe looks an amazing prospect. We're sure to see a little bit of him this season based on that performance.

Good to see a big change happening , about time, its the first time for 10 years i've felt a bit excited, with Wenger we always knew what we were going to get. top 4 and maybe an FA cup along the way, then even that faded away.

Pretty quiet on here, but you can never read too much into pre-season games and at least half of all transfer speculation is guff.

What does everyone think about the new format of pre-season friendlies? Clearly a lot of money being made. Just back from family holiday in California and shocked to find ourselves in the same hotel as the Spuds who had games in San Diego and LA, both sell-outs. Huge appetite for the Premiership out there. Can't believe that all the travel involved by the various elite clubs and the fairly meaningless nature of the fixtures actually gears you up well for when the real action starts.

I think Arsenal have shored up some deficiencies that have been beedin' obvious for the last 13 odd years. The replacements may not be world class but should strengthen the side and make them less vunerable to being fceked on the break!

Arsenal have a top class striker, a glut of decent mid fielders and hopefully a better defence than they have had for a decade and of course a decent central midfielder now who I hope will not try and play football although he can.

Wiltshire imho is a loss and Elninny and Jackass are not good enough. Too slow and lack of game awareness.

Arsenal ought to make top 4 and bring back St Totteringham Day. Not good enough to mount a title challenge. But maybe next season with a couple of decent buys who knows!

true dat buts lacks pace!

Liability!

0-1 at ht and HB & SK have been very poor - Leichstein must be feeling confident of ousting H and surely Nacho walks straight back in.

We looked small and weak compared to chelsea - could see why someone like Onzonzi would be welcome.

Hopefully a few signings this week

Kolasinac out for a few months. No great loss as his defending has been awful. Nacho ought to be back but if not Niles can do a better job than Kol but feel a bit sorry for him because he isn't getting the chance to play in his best position.

Last full week b4 the season starts and it looks as if Chambers is of out on loan to Fulham for a season. Why did we give him a new contract ????

Where does this leave us defensively for game 1 ???

Sorry lads i am not seeing this at all. As good as we may well be looking going forward and as promising as the midfield may well be shaping up, it is defensively where we need to get sorted and PDQ.

bellend and mustafi are simply not good enough. Monreal hasnt featured during pre season and is still not training with the 1st team, Koscienlny may be finished with the club after that achilles injury and Kola is already out for 3 months ??? ..

2 Hector Bellerin
5 Sokratis Papastathopoulos
6 Laurent Koscielny
12 Stephan Lichtsteiner
16 Rob Holding
18 Nacho Monreal
20 Shkodran Mustafi
21 Calum Chambers
25 Carl Jenkinson
27 Konstantinos Mavropanos
31 Sead Kolasinac

Any one got a pair of boots ???

And it seems that Perez has joined West Ham
for about £4 mill

Well it seems now that we are gonna sell Chambers to Fulham. not loan him out

Meanwhile Chelsea are supposedly gonna try to buy Ramsey for £35 mil

I love the last few days of the summer transfer window

Is this the worst possible news ?....

Photo: PA
Arsenal's majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has made an offer to take full ownership of the club in a deal worth £1.8billion.

The American's company, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, currently owns 67 per cent of the Gunners and has offered to purchase the 30 per cent held by Alisher Usmanov's Red and White Securities firm.

KSE says it has received an "irrevocable undertaking" from Red and White Securities to accept the offer as soon as possible, and in any event by 3pm on Tuesday.

In a statement published on the London Stock Exchange, Kroenke said: "We at KSE are moving forward with this offer leading to 100 per cent ownership of the club.
alisher
Usmanov (left) owns a thirty percent stake of Arsenal. Credit: PA
"We appreciate Mr Usmanov's dedication to the Arsenal Football Club and the storied ethos and history the club represents."

In October last year KSE offered around £525million to buy the 18,695 shares held by Usmanov.

Kroenke believes taking the north London club into private ownership will increase their chances of success in the future.

The Gunners last won the Premier League title in 2004 and last season finished sixth, 37 points behind champions Manchester City.
arsenal
Emery is the ninth Spaniard to manager in the Premier League. Credit: PA
Unai Emery was appointed manager in May after the club said farewell to Arsene Wenger after 22 years in charge.

The statement continued: "The successful implementation of the offer will result in the opening of a new chapter in the history of the club in bringing 100 per cent private ownership by KSE.

"KSE believes moving to private ownership will bring the benefits of a single owner better able to move quickly in furtherance of the club's strategy and ambitions. KSE is a committed, long-term owner of the club."

Does Silent Stan raid the Arsenal coffers to fund his American sports teams?

As somebody said, we are aiming to regain our status as Premier league heavyweights but on a Championship side budget.

Finally if Ramsey doesn't sign NOW, we should sell and get in N'Zonzi straight away.