Usmanov wants more

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has revealed that he intends to buy a "blocking stake" in football club Arsenal. By this, the tycoon means a stake high enough to make the corporate running of the club more tricky to carry out without a certain amount of shareholder backing.

"I want to be in a position that will allow me a blocking stake and will then wait for it to go up in value." Usmanov said on a Russian radio station.

"It refers to a stakeholding that would make it difficult for the club to do what it wants," said Harry Philp, of football finance consultants Hermes Sports Partners.