Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov says he is concerned that the team is turning into a feeder club by selling players in their prime, and claims that Thierry Henry has urged him to take over to stop the trophy drought.
Arsenal has not won anything since the FA Cup in 2005, and in recent years has sold striker Robin van Persie, midfielders Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Alexandre Song, and left back Gael Clichy.
Manchester United signed Van Persie; Fabregas and Song went to Barcelona; and Nasri and Clichy won the English Premier League with Manchester City last season.
Usmanov owns just under 30 per cent of Arsenal, less than American businessman Stan Kroenke.
In an interview with sports daily L’Equipe, Usmanov says Henry is “pushing me to buy all of Arsenal’s shares”.