Africa’s richest man wants to buy Arsenal and sack Wenger

Wenger depends on Kroenke to keep his position at the club.

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote stated his desire to purchase Arsenal, declaring his first order of business would be to fire Arsene Wenger.

‘The first thing I would change is the coach. He has done a good job, but someone else should also try his luck’, Dangote told Bloomburg.

The 60-year-old is Africa’s richest man, and though Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has no plans to sell, the Nigerian expressed his intention of making a move once the construction of his £8.5bn oil refinery in Lagos is completed.

Dangote is worth £10bn, and believes he can convince Kroenke, who owns 67 per cent of the north London club, as well as Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who is in control of 30 per cent of the Gunners, to give up their stake.

‘If they get the right offer, I’m sure they would walk away. Someone will give them an offer that will make them seriously consider walking away’, Dangote added. ‘And when we finish the refinery, I think we will be in a position to do that’.

Fortunately for Wenger, American businessman and majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is reluctant to sell up and has offered his full backing to the long-term French manager.