Every couple of weeks the Arsenal website gives an update on how many shares the major shareholders in the club have. They’re required to do this under Premier League rules. The rules are actually a bit vague, as they don’t say under what circumstances exactly changes must be reported, but Arsenal seem to take it upon themselves to put an update out approximately every two weeks.
Today they reported that Red & White Holdings have moved from a total of 18,663 shares to 18,665. 
They also forgot to change the date from May 3 to May 16, but that’s a side issue.
Now an increase of two shares for R&W may seem irrelevant, but what it means is that with one more single share R&W will have achieved their target of 30% of the total equity of Arsenal Holdings PLC (they now have precisely 29.9998392722246%). Why do they want 30%? Well, their reasons may have changed since they set that target, as on the face of it there is no more benefit from having 30% that having 29%, or indeed 25.01% or 49.99%.
Once R&W breached 25% they could block any change that required 75% of the vote, but without getting to 50%+1 they’ll get no more power unless Stan Kroenke chooses to give it to them. So far there is no sign of that.
Prior to last summer, when the Premier League re-wrote their rules governing this, it may have been possible for R&W to insist on full access to all Arsenal’s finances once they reached 30%, but that no longer applies. There is no compulsion for Usmanov to make a full bid for Arsenal at 30% because there is already a majority shareholder in place, and 30% does not entitle anyone to a seat on the Board.
So why bother? Well, that’s what we wait to find out. I think R&W have deliberately held off going over 30% during the season so as not to be accused of distracting anyone from the job in hand. I think as soon as the season is over, we’ll see that Mr Usmanov will rustle up an extra share or two and perhaps become a bit more vocal about the whole situation.
Of course he may already be in dialogue with Kroenke anyway – if Kroenke is even the slightest bit interested in dialogue – and I have heard from one source that a deal for Kroenke to sell this summer has been agreed for some months. However, that would seem to make it a bit pointless for R&W to keep buying odd shares in the meantime, so I have my doubts.
It looks certain there will be changes behind the scenes at Arsenal this summer anyway, as Peter Hill-Wood is rumoured to be standing down due to deteriorating health. Stan Kroenke may feel it’s time to put more of his people closer to the running of the club. Unless he’s selling it. I could tie myself in knots with different theories about who is likely to do what, but I think it will be an interesting summer.
We know now how Kroenke likes to operate his clubs: minimal interference and let them pay for themselves as long as they are in some measure competitive, or at least not losing money. We don’t know how Usmanov would operate as sole owner of Arsenal. Personally I have my doubts that everything would be as rosy as some seem to think.
angryofislington 
Interesting article but I thought the need to add my tuppence to your closing opinion. I agree that it might not be as rosy as we think that it might be but then again, seeing your best stars leave on an annual basis isn’t ideal either and too the best of my knowledge -and in american sport that isn’t far- Kronke has only really achieved some form of success with the colts (briefly) and very little with the others. Outside of fencing, Usmanov may not have much sporting pedigree but the same cannot be said about his business skill and the knowledge that he has on brands and marketing…I think you mean Wenger might not find it rosy 🙂
As I said before Phil these two individuals are playing “chicken” with us. Kroenke will not change his “modus operandi” which means he will not spend the money needed to keep us competitive while the other chancer Alisar “I love Arsenal” Usminov wants to turn us into to a version of the west end tool tuggers ….. Usmanov’s Laundry ……we clean Moscow money ! Any Arsenal fan with a proper sense of what it means to be a gunner should be glad to rid ourselves of these messers and allow us to move on with pride , Remember the Arsenal has been around for a long time, and will be around long after these two ball bags are gone. As for finance ? That won’t be easy and I don’t have the answers .But we are not broke , there’s a few quid in the bank and we have a good manager. Add to that integrity and class and we are not too badly off .
Yer right accept mediocrity for how long. Not saying that we want to become a chelski but its evident that this current regime only wants profit. The dynamics of the game has changed and maybe we should look at someone who wants to spend more than this tight yank. All we have to look forward to is a dog fight to qualify for CL every year.
I have been following this share buying by Usmanov closely for over a year now and he has been buying shares privately (i.e not through the ICAP market where they are listed). It could be that either he is playing it by the book with regard to the 30% and positioning himself ready to bid as soon as we fail to qualify for the CL or there maybe stockmarket rules where the shares are listed which will take precedent over PL rules allowing him greater access to the accounts.
I don’t get the negativity towards Usmanov, he is a far better businessman than Kroenke, wouldn’t stand for such wastage at the club and seems a lot more interested than the invisible man. There is also the possibility that if he were to buy SK’s shares he could keep 51% and raise capital for investment in the squad by way of a rights issue for the balance of shares without pumping any money into the club like Abramovich has done thus complying with FFP rules.
Just because he is also a Russian Billionaire doesn’t make him the same as Abramovich and doesn’t mean the club won’t be run much better than it is now.
For anyone who is in anyway a true fan of Arsenal Football Club, Usmanov is one of the worst possible solutions, he is so tied in knots to money laundering, and the illegal attaining of assets, mark my word there are a number of investigative journalists who have been threatened by Usmanov’s solicitors, who, should Usmanov make a move on Arsenal Football Club, the articles will be published in the US where the wealthy and powerful are much less protected by defamation laws constricting more enlightening financial journalism. And how is a person who has never once created wealth but attained though ties to the Russian and Uzbek governments, as well as other Oligarchs offshore entities and special purpose vehicles, a businessman, there is a great deal of ignorance in these posts as to what a businessman is. Usmanov as well as Abramovich and Shvidler, also involved with Usmanov, are all so infested with ties, to offshore money laundering, special purpose vehicles and Russian organized crime, that the very health of the club itself will be very much in danger, and it will be a very interesting test of the true intention of the Fit & Proper Person Test that Usmanov, should never pass. Be ready for some deep digging and light shedding on offshore entities of Golden Sevenkey, Gallagher Holdings, and all the very questionable dealings between these companies and how they relate to Usmanov. There is a lot that will come to light in small and more fearless leaks, and when it does, David Dein will not look too clean.
I pray he succed with the Takeover , Let wait and see how is own Running would look like but I think it gonna be positive all the way. Gunner till I die.
—So why bother? Well, that’s what we wait to find out. I think R&W have deliberately held off going over 30% during the season so as not to be accused of distracting anyone from the job in hand. I think as soon as the season is over, we’ll see that Mr Usmanov will rustle up an extra share or two and perhaps become a bit more vocal about the whole situation— That doesn’t quite add up though mate. If they were so against “distracting” the club then why would they continue to release ill timed statements taking snide pot shots at the club every time we’re at a low ebb?
Do people want a a team of superstars owned by a Russian with obscene amount of money that’s not arsenal Get down to chel why doesn’t this guy use his money to do some good what has he done to get it arsenal is a well run club doing its best to bring young players to top and pro the best run club in country
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Buyin team wld b positve for the club if he can spent for d club
Gooners 4 life
I hope a takeover attempt happens this Summer, as I cannot see any success from silent Stan.
With Hill-Wood probably retiring , I feel the idiot that will replace him will be Josh Kroenke,
You guys have to remember this clone of silent Stan is residing as the VP of Operations of Stan’s other two Franchises
Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, and a seat of his NFL team ST Louis RAMS.
If you Google and read reports from the fans, they have sold the best players and haven’t not put any money back in the teams.
Can you see a trend here ?.
I feel we be the same especially when we have a Coach who also follows the same ethic and is very frugal with the money
We are getting left behind and soon as the FANS realize this the better.
I hope for the clubs future to compete, that we lose against Newcastle and finally the loser Coach resigns.
Danny – you hope arsenal lose? ….. Just let that hang in the air…………………You hope The Arsenal lose………………. who are you a tottnumb fan?
We are The Arsenal… remember who you are and who you represent! We should always want The Arsenal to win.
Gonnerjake – How old are you. Another johnny come lately FAN -AKB. Get real son . I am in the other half who want the frog out at any cost.
I would prefer the russian to the yank as he at least claims to love Arsenal were as the yank just seems to love money. Lets face it he as been seen at how many matches this season? He’s probably wondering why the match was in two parts and not four.
he love arsenal hahahahahahahah this guy before turning up to us as “fan” was owning a box at Old toilet and try to buy manure once but fail ,after that he decide to turn his fanship to arsenal.he will probably end up at shit hart lane as he is a fan of them too
i cannot believe the number of fan who believe him. Maybe stan doesnt talk enough but this fat russian doing too much talk . opportunist and very dodgy a little bit like UKIP
Danny ive been a arsenal supporter for nearly forty years now. That’s 40 years, and in that time ive never ever wanted arsenal to lose. so please learn not to use tired clichés as it is all very boring. We are The Arsenal, but still watch some older arsenal teams from the mid 70’s from the early 80’s and the last George graham years and you will see what a great situation we are in at the minute.
Last thing danny -you want the frog out? We don’t need Agoraphobia at the Arsenal. Totally unacceptable