Arsenal not for sale, says owner Stan Kroenke

Arsenal fans hold up a banner against Arsenal's majority owner Stan Kroenke during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Everton at the Emirates Stadium in London on May 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Justin TALLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images) /

Despite protests from fans, the current Arsenal owner, Stan Kroenke, isn’t going anywhere.

Arsenal’s majority shareholder Stan Kroenke said on Monday that he has no intention of selling the club. The American businessman, whose company also owns the NBA’s Denver Nuggets, the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, has faced mounting pressure from fans to relinquish his hold on the team.

Kroenke said in a statement that his shares in Arsenal “are not, and have never been, for sale,” adding that he’s committed to the long-term future of the North London club. He’s had a 67 percent stake in Arsenal’s ownership since 2011.

This news comes a day after Arsenal finished fifth in the Premier League, falling out of the top four and missing the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. Fans have increasingly been calling for him to sell the team in recent weeks, with several prominent banners around the Emirates at Sunday’s game telling him to “get out of our club.”

The Missouri native has never been well-liked by the Arsenal faithful, who have protested his ownership several times, even starting a petition in 2016 to “stop Stan Kroenke destroying Arsenal Football Club.” More than 12,000 people expressed their frustration with his unwillingness to spend money on top players and make Arsenal a true contender in Europe.

Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, who owns 30 percent of Arsenal shares, reportedly offered £1 billion to Kroenke for his stake in the club. Usmanov blamed the current majority owner in April for the team’s struggles and failure to challenge for a Premier League title.

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With the future of Arsenal’s ownership seemingly settled, the focus will turn solely to manager Arsene Wenger. He, too, has faced mounting criticism from fans who are calling for his dismissal. This is the first time the club have missed out on the Champions League under Wenger, but they haven’t won the league since 2004. The board of directors is likely to announce his fate after next weekend’s FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea.

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