Usmanov: I'm having Arsenal

Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov last night promised he would continue to ‘buy, buy, buy’ - and take over Arsenal within 12 months. The Russian has bought up shares continuously and recently upped his holding to 23 percent.

Usmanov, who is worth £2.75 billion, confirmed he had increased his stake in Arsenal to 23 per cent, as revealed in yesterday’s Mirror Sport. And last night it emerged Usmanov’s business partner Farhad Moshiri met with Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood and managing director Keith Edelman and had “constructive” discussions.

Usmanov is determined to carry on his attempts to buy up shares - but does not want to alienate the board and make it impossible to launch a full-scale takeover.

A friend of Usmanov added, “It doesn’t matter what Hill-Wood says. He will go right to the end, but in one year’s time if he cannot make a takeover then he will sell. He is not in a hurry, he wants people to see what he is doing and who he is.

“He believes in one year’s time people will trust in him and believe in what he is doing.”