Daniel Ek is set to launch a second bid worth more than £2billion to takeover Arsenal, as per reports in Daily Mail.
The Spotify owner has shown interest in taking ownership of the north London club after protests erupted against Kroenke in the wake of the Super League debacle. Ek did launch a formal bid earlier last month but it was quickly turned down.
Daily Mail are reporting that sources close to the Ek camp have disclosed that a second bid worth more than £2billion is being readied. They also claim that the Arsenal hierarchy are awaiting the second offer.
When the Spotify owner launched the first bid, the Kroenke family responded by saying that they ‘didn’t need the money’. However, Daily Mail further claim that the Swiss billionaire will not go anywhere and wants to get the deal done.
Ek, a lifelong Arsenal fan, has the backing of club legends Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, and Dennis Bergkamp in his takeover attempts. A few weeks back, Henry revealed that the billionaire wants to restore ‘Arsenal DNA’. Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Gunners star said:
“He approached us, we listened to him. When we knew first and foremost that he wanted to involve the fans, we actually met the Arsenal Supporters Trust and told them what we wanted to do.
“We want to bring them back on board, being part of the meetings, knowing what’s happening because you need to put the DNA back into the club.”
Arsenal fans are growing increasingly frustrated with the club’s ownership and the lack of investments. The club’s inclusion and subsequent withdrawal from the breakaway league has caused more unrest among fans and the popularity of Kroenke’s has hit an all-time low.
Ek previously saw a bid of £1.8bn turned down but it seems evident that the Swede is determined to complete this takeover. His offer, which he said included fan ownership, representation at the board level, and a golden share for supporters, gained traction among the Arsenal faithful.
The Spotify owner along with the legendary trio have already spoken to Arsenal fans about the prospect of the takeover. The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust has issued a statement following their meeting with Ek and his consortium of former players, describing it as ‘constructive’.
It is unlikely that Kroenke’s will accept the latest bid, but this persistence from Ek will definitely put immense pressure on the owners to invest in the squad this summer.
