David Dein has warned the Arsenal hierarchy they risk being overtaken in the Premier League pecking order unless they allow Alisher Usmanov to seize control.
The Uzbekistani billionaire currently owns a quarter of the club's shares but would like to launch a full takeover through his company Red and White Holdings - which is fronted by Dein, the former Gunners chairman who has a frosty relationship with the board at Emirates Stadium.
The north Londoners' financial clout has been called into question this summer following the departure of Mathieu Flamini to AC Milan - with wages allegedly a major factor in his exit - while key players Alexander Hleb and Emmanuel Adebayor also look odds-on to leave.
Dein claims the recent upheaval could be a sign of things to come unless the Gunners board entertain a takeover from a super-rich investor, and insists it is the only way manager Arsene Wenger can be given the opportunity to succeed.
"Luckily, they have Arsene but you have to give the man a chance," Dein said.
"I don't want to see Arsenal as the second or even third team in London.
"I can see the way the game is going. The wealthier are going to get wealthier and more successful. It is getting polarised."
Of Usmanov, he added: "He would change the whole dynamic of the club. At Arsenal, something has to break."
More news from SportingLife.com
Comment 1 - 12 of 12
I think Dein is just a Megalomaniac. His ambitions is not to make arsenal better but to the the man in charge.
I'm loosing whatever respect i had for the man.
I think arsenal are getting it right, a player cannot expect to dictate wages based on improved performance in one season, what happens when he looses form, would he take a pay-cut?
Adebayor was considered overpriced at 3mil a couple years ago, he had a good season and he start to demand 120k a week? if he has another good season he'lll want 150k.
wat is the problem wit DEIN?
you have a club that won the c.leage but are neck deep in debt.
you have a club that spent hundreds of millions of pounds in buying expired players, hiring and firing coaches but still they couldnt get it right.
you have a club that spent so little but achieved much and you want to pull it down, WHY?
emeka - you obviously don't know i thing about football, Adebayor is not better than Anelka they are both losers who would've benifited from Arsenal and became greats like Henry, like Bergkamp, these footballers put averything into they're football including commitment. We got the best from Henry and it was time for him to go, it was sad but we moved on, dramatically.
And Manure couldn't afford a great team like Arsenal. Manure can't even afford manure at the moment. They will sell Ronaldo and use the money to pay off debts for fear of getting kicked outta champs lg. Imagine winning the Champions Lg and not being allowed to play the following year hahaha that would be nice.
if adebayor want to go why not but not more then35 millon
i think deid is wright well i know he is arsenal are going to be the third london club
jp stop comparing ade wit anelka,ade is beta
think arsenal is 2 2 low 4 his services
i think man utd should buy arsenal fc,dey are 2 poor 2 b in london
dey shuld b in bradford
word of warning for Adebayor- do you remember a man called Anelka who got too big for his boots and since leaving Arsenal has never settled and now admits he was wrong to leave when he did. Also Ashley Cole has he done exceptionaly better for the extra £5k per week, Gael has proved to be a better player. Please go if you want to and with your money we can buy another Thierry plus 2 others(that's what Anelka gave us).
Sometimes I think the agents get these players wanting to move so they can get commissions from the transfer fees and the media don't help with hyping their cause. No player is bigger than the club. Platini has just talk about clubs with debts did you see Arsenal mentioned............NO because the board maintain a reasonable wage structure and fiscal policy in the running of the club. Earning £20k- £100k a week is adequate for premiership footballers. Maybe a top ceiling should be put in place for each tier of the football divisions.
jp
i had so much respect for Dein before especially for what he did for Arsenal but now, I dont know. i cant beleive that a man would build a house and sometime some day want to fall the same house for no reasons. How much did arsenal have when they went a whole season unbeaten, what about playing in the champions league in 2006. but for injuries, the league would have been won by arsenal and now instead of building on the achievement, dein is talking about selling the club to one ruthless capitalist especially for his own selfish gains. dein have fogotten the case of liverpool, manchester city, chelsea, newcastle, aston villa. what difference did it make selling the clubs mentioned?? adebayor can go for all i care, hleb as well. adebayor scores 3 out 10 chances afterall. we still have fantastic fabregas who singl handed demolised russia. we can even make 10 adebayors and 15 hlebs from the young stars we have. GUNNERS for ever.
It looks like the only sources of cash coming into the Premier League these days are either from Yankee prospectors,the Russian mob or some Third World former dictators !!
arsenal needs some cash injection, but i rather it came from the somewhere else and not from Usmanov and for the financial clout that arsenal been questioned about, its all to do with what other clubs are offering in wages. !!! if Emmanuel Adebayor not happy with the wages he is getting right now i do him a swap any day, he should be greatful for what arsenal as a club and a team has helped him improve his game a hell of alot !!! because his first season with us he didn't set the world alight with his performance's he should show more respect for arsenal.
piss off we dont need more rubbish in are country got enough already
Please login to post a comment
Not already a Yahoo! user ? Sign up to get a free Yahoo! Account