Alisher Usmanov has said it is still his dream to own Arsenal and has given the under-fire Arsène Wenger his full backing. The Russian billionaire already owns a 30% stake in the club but has no seat on the board and has been frozen out by the majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke.
In a rare interview, Usmanov told CNBC: "I want to take this opportunity to just reaffirm that in order to help the team, we would be ready to buy more shares, to buy control, to buy all shares. It is my dream to have a controlling stake of Arsenal. I would never instruct the chief executive, and I would ask if they need my help.
"If I had a big stake in Arsenal of course I would have my opinion of what we must do, for example on the commercial side. I think there are also many questions about the management of Arsenal's commercial activity. We will see and we will wait. Maybe one day I will wake up and have control of Arsenal."
Usmanov said it was a mistake to sell Robin van Persie to Manchester United in the summer and added if he had more involvement in the club he would back the manager in the transfer market.
"Today less, but over the last five years he has not had enough support to provide his conceptions of his game in Arsenal from the board, either for transfers or for keeping players etc. We are ready to do all that we can in order to help the company, in order to consider any form of cooperation or ownership with the team.
"This decision [losing Van Persie] was a mistake. If I am one of Wenger's players I would want to stay for the finish, but he explained Robin wanted to go to win trophies."
Asked about his influence in the transfer window, Usmanov said: "I never interfere with things over which I have no control, this question [about buying players] is for Wenger. I never ever give instruction to chief executive of my plans I only ask you need my help or not."
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