Daniel Ek on ‘rejected’ Arsenal bid, still interested in owning the club – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek has confirmed that his Arsenal takeover bid has been rejected by the club’s American owners.
The Swedish billionaire has already outlined his idea to buy the north Londoners from Kroenke Sports Entertainment (KSE). After an initial flurry of activity, things had gone a bit quiet but Ek has spoken out now.
Wanting to clear any misconceptions that existed about the bid, the Spotify owner released a statement.
“Inaccurate reports emerged today saying I have not made a bid for Arsenal football club.
“I think it’s important to correct the record. This week, an offer was made to both (Director) Josh Kroenke and their bankers that included fan ownership, representation at the board and a golden share for the supporters.
“They replied that they don’t need the money. I respect their decision but remain interested and available should that situation ever change.”
Here is the tweet:
Following reports today I want to correct the record with attached statement pic.twitter.com/CzfF0Y76K4
— Daniel Ek (@eldsjal) May 15, 2021
Though the first offer has been rejected, the Swede is still interested in purchasing the club and is keen on giving the fans a say in how the club will be run, report Sky Sports.
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There has been a lot of pressure on the Kroenke’s since the news of the European Super League came out. The fans wanted change and expressed their opinions through social media and protests outside the Emirates.
Although the supporters would like to see new ownership come in, it has to be decided by those in charge. Unless they are willing to sell, it will be difficult for any potential buyer to make inroads.
The good news is that Ek still remains committed to takeover the north Londoners and if not now, maybe sometime down the line there could be a different response from the KSE group.
Another factor that has to be considered is what the current regime is going to do to placate the fans feelings. After a disappointing season, there is a lot riding on how they approach the summer transfer window.
After having rejected the bid from Ek, the onus will be on Kroenke to invest and improve the Arsenal squad. If they fail to do so, there will be even more discontent.