'Business as usual' at Arsenal

Ivan Gazidis maintains it is "business as usual" at Arsenal after Stan Kroenke paid out £42.5million to increase his stake.

Kroenke, 61, accepted the offer to become a non-executive director in September last year as ties with his Kroenke Sports Enterprises group were strengthened, after the Gunners had at first been less than receptive to the billionaire American - with chairman Peter Hill-Wood claiming "we do not need his sort".

The remainder of the Arsenal board who were subject to their internal 'lockdown agreement' gave consent to the transaction of 5,000 ordinary shares between Danny Fiszman and Kroenke, which was set at a price of £8,500 each and will be paid to Swiss-resident Fiszman rather than the club itself.

Nevertheless, it remains a significant move behind the scenes for the Gunners.

Kroenke's influence has increased significantly as he now owns just over 20% - perhaps to ward off any potential hostile takeover by Uzbekistan metals magnate Alisher Usmanov, whose Red & White Holdings group are currently the largest individual shareholders with 25%.

Any notion, however, this would have any direct influence on the running of the Emirates Stadium club have been dismissed by Arsenal's chief executive.

"It is business as usual", Gazidis declared. "On a day-to-day level, it has absolutely no impact at all.

"It is a transaction between two board members, both of whom believe in the self-sustaining philosophy of the club."

Gazidis added in an interview with Arsenal TV Online: "On the business side, we remain doing business just as we were yesterday and it is the same on the playing side.

"Arsene Wenger and the players remain focused on the end of this season - we are in three important competitions and making some progress."

Kroenke is already an established pedigree in terms of sports ownership, backing the St Louis Rams American Football franchise, as well as the Denver Nuggets basketball team, Colorado Avalanche ice hockey club and Major League Soccer outfit Colorado Rapids.

The Kroenke Sports Enterprise group owns the Pepsi Center in Denver and in 2004 also launched its own cable television sports channel.

However, Gazidis - who took up his new role with Arsenal in January after being deputy commissioner of the MLS - firmly believes the American billionaire will help the Gunners remain true to the club's own traditions.

"Stan really is a model owner," Gazidis said. "He takes the long-term view and believes in the model that Arsenal has been run on, of self-sustainability, and has developed a good relationship with other members of the board.

"This is somebody who shares the philosophies of the current board and who will be influential as we go forwards, and is going ensure we have continuity in the traditions of the club."

Gazidis added: "This is a club which has over 120 years of history.

"What has happened in terms of the adjustments of the shareholdings between current board members does not affect the direction we are headed in.

"We have some tremendous underpinnings at this club - a tremendous stadium that we play in, a very exciting and developing young squad which would be the envy of any team in the world, and a fantastic manager.

"The club continues to make progress and we are looking forward to the end-of-season run-in.

"We think it is going to be a very successful year for Arsenal."

Gazidis revealed the club would have "on-going dialogue" with Red & White Holdings, and also look to speak to Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith, who holds some 15.9% of shares but left the board in December.

Gazidis added: "I will be reaching out to her to initiate that dialogue and I am sure that will be productive going forwards.

"Certainly if she were to say she was a seller, then I am sure there would be interest among the current Arsenal board."

The Arsenal Supporters Trust, meanwhile, welcomed Kroenke's further investment.

"The fact that Stan Kroenke is already a member of the board at Arsenal should ensure that this change does not create any instability," a statement from AST read.