Former Arsenal shareholder and Iranian billionaire Farhad Moshiri sold off his stake at the North London club earlier this year to invest in Everton, and it now looks like another Arsenal shareholder is set to do the same.
Earlier this year, Moshiri sold off a £200 million stake in Arsenal to reinvest the sum in Everton. The Iranian became the biggest stakeholder of Everton with 49.9% of the shares and has plans to make the club one of the financial giants of the Premier League as well as regular competitors for the title.
His former business partner Alisher Usmanov took full control of the 30.04% of the shares that Red and White Securitites Ltd. owned in the club after Moshiri left. However, the Uzbeki businessman is now intent on selling the shares and join Moshiri at Everton, according to reputed Arsenal news portal Arseblog.
This is expected to have massive repercussions at the club, as Usmanov is unwilling to sell to majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, who is a 67.05% stakeholder at Arsenal. Usmanov reportedly had no voice or influence at the club, and Kroenke was the one calling the shots. However that could change if a new shareholder comes into the picture.
It would be a massive boost for Everton if Usmanov were to join Moshiri at the club. The Iranian has already pledged £100 million to the Merseyside club on transfers this summer, as well as stating a firm desire to hold on to the club’s best players and plan the construction of a new stadium.
The Merseyside Blues have already made some significant acquisitions this summer, with the most notable being the signing of Dutch manager Ronald Koeman from Southampton. They have also hired former Leicester City scout Steve Walsh as the director of football, while also signing defender Ashley Williams from Swansea City and winger Yannick Bolasie from Crystal Palace for a combined £36 million.
Arsenal have been under the sway of Stan Kroenke all this while, but a new shareholder could shake things up at the club. They have come under criticism for being unwilling to spend money on the transfer market, but any developments at the management level could lead to a change in policy.