Potential Arsenal buyer AlikoDangote
says he would make sacking Arsene Wenger his first move if he took over
the north London giants.
The wealthy Nigerian businessman,
estimated to be worth around $12.5bn, has held a long-standing interest
in buying Arsenal, and believes Stan Kroenke could be persuaded to sell.
The American is unpopular at the
Emirates Stadium after a lack of investment in the first-team, and for
his apparent unrelenting faith in Wenger despite no league title since
2004.
Dangote insists he would make replacing
Wenger a priority, as he once again discussed the prospect of finally
completing a takeover of the Gunners.
“The first thing I would change is the coach,’ Dangote was quoted as saying in metro.co.uk. “He has done a good job, but someone else should also try his luck.
“If they (Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov)
get the right offer, I’m sure they would walk away. Someone will give
them an offer that will make them seriously consider walking away. And
when we finish the refinery, I think we will be in a position to do
that.
“It’s a great team, well-run. It could be run better, so I will be there. I will wait. Even if things change I will take it.”
Arsenal have three FA Cup wins in the
last four seasons but finished outside of the top four last term,
missing out on the Champions League.
Their frugality under Kroenke has also
seen them fail to offer enough money to persuade star player Alexis
Sanchez to sign a new contract.
Wenger, meanwhile, has been at Arsenal
since 1996 but came under increased pressure last season as fans urged
the board not to give him a new deal.
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