Daniel Ek, Invincibles brush Kroenke aside with Arsenal plan to begin imminently
Spotify founder Daniel Ek is preparing to table a bid to take Arsenal over from the Kroenke’s within the next 10 days, according to a report.
The Gunners’ owners, as with their ‘Big Six’ counterparts, are under mounting pressure after the European Super League fiasco. A number of fans from Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea want their current owners gone. However, the owners of five of the clubs have yet to experience any big threats to their hierarchy.
Indeed, Arsenal are the only club whose senior figures have had doubts hanging over their heads amid interest from a new potential buyer.
Ek, from Sweden, has teamed up with Arsenal Invincible trio Denis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira to try to wrestle control of the club from American Stan Kroenke.
On Tuesday, Kroenke issued a statement declaring his intentions to keep hold of the Gunners.
He said: “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.
“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.”
According to the Daily Telegraph, though, such a move will not deter Ek in his push to finance a takeover.
Indeed, the newspaper claims that the billionaire is ready to submit a bid worth £1.8billion within the next 10 days.
However, if that move fails, Ek – who has a net worth of over £3billion – is reportedly ready to ‘play the long game’.
The Swede is willing to start a process lasting as long as six months in a takeover bid.
Fourth Invincible questions Arsenal takeover bid
However, not all are fully on board with Ek and the three Invincibles’ plan to take Arsenal over.
Jens Lehmann, another member of Arsenal’s 2003/04 unbeaten Premier League team, has doubts over whether the plan will work.
He said: “It would be fantastic to have my former team-mates working for Arsenal again, because they are all great guys.
“But I don’t know if the Kroenke family actually wants to sell Arsenal. That’s the first question I have.
“And from my encounters with Josh Kroenke, for example, he’s a very nice guy. He was very interested to lead Arsenal into a brighter future.”
READ MORE: Fourth Invincible questions trio’s involvement in Arsenal takeover bid