Arsenal Shareholder Alisher Usmanov Opens Talks To Acquire Belgian Side Anderlecht

Arsenal major shareholder Alisher Usmanov "expressed an interest" in acquiring Belgian First Division A side Anderlecht but "will be up against" Belgian entrepreneurs Paul Gheysens and Wouter Vandenhaute in any bid to take control of the club, according to Samindra Kunti of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. The current takeover price is €80M ($94M) for 75% of the club’s shares. The Uzbek-born billionaire owns 30% of Arsenal’s shares, but has been "alienated from wielding much influence" in North London by the current Stan Kroenke-led board. A spokesperson for Usmanov’s company, USM Holdings, did not "rule out an investment in the Belgian club when addressing the reports on Saturday." Anderlecht has "held talks" with a number of interested parties, including Gheysens and Vandenhaute, who approached the Brussels-based club before Usmanov "entered the fray" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 11/20).