Why Arsenal owner wants to sell club

Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov is exploring a sale of his 30\r\npercent stake in English football club Arsenal, the Financial Times reported\r\nhttps://on.ft.com/2Lx1Yb6 on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the\r\nbillionaire\'s thinking.

The Russian billionaire has grown frustrated that the club\'s\r\nmajority owner, Stan Kroenke, is unwilling to engage in takeover talks and has\r\ngiven up all hope of acquiring the club outright, the report cited the sources\r\nas saying.

Usmanov had previously made a $1.3 billion offer to buy out\r\nKroenke, but Kroenke\'s KSE (Kroenke Sports & Entertainment) UK Inc said its\r\nshares in the Premier League club were not for sale.

Russia\'s so-called oligarchs who have relocated to London\r\ncould be under threat as there have been calls to deny them access to their\r\nLondon lifestyles following the poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei\r\nSkripal in Britain.

Usmanov and Roman Abramovich, who owns the Chelsea football\r\nclub, are the most prominent among the Russian elite living in London.

Arsenal finished a disappointing sixth last season and\r\nmissed out on a Champions League qualifying spot, with manager Arsene Wenger\r\nleaving after almost 22 years at the club. It appointed former Paris St Germain\r\ncoach Unai Emery as their new manager.

A representative for Usmanov declined to comment. Arsenal\r\nwas not immediately available to comment.