Arsenal takeover: Thierry Henry has warning for Gunners fans hopeful of Spotify bid

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek recently tweeted his interest in launching a bid to buy Arsenal on the night fans were protesting outside the Emirates Stadium

Daniel Ek is a Swedish billionaire (AFP via Getty Images)

Thierry Henry has warned Arsenal supporters that a potential takeover by Spotify founder Daniel Ek could take a “very long” time as he said the Swedish billionaire wants to bring back the identity and DNA of the club.

Ek recently tweeted his interest in launching a bid to buy Arsenal on the night fans were protesting outside the Emirates Stadium against current owner Stan Kroenke. Kroenke, through his Kroenke Sports and Entertainment business, has since said he has no interest in selling, but Ek continues to move forward with his plans.

He has former Arsenal players Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira – as well as Henry – backing his bid and the club’s all-time leading goalscorer explained how the trio got involved.

“It is true,” he told Sky Sports of his involvement in a potential takeover bid. “Daniel is an Arsenal fan – he hasn’t said that for publicity, he has been an Arsenal fan for a long time. 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; bring them back on board.

“He wants to re-inject the Arsenal DNA, the identity that is long gone. You don’t have Arsenal people there among the board that can sometimes show the right direction and that is what Daniel wants to do.

“He already said he collected the funds so he can make sure he can make a good bid. Now obviously they need to listen and see what they can do. Something that is very important about it, saying they want the owner out, we are trying to offer a solution of having the fans as the DNA back of the club.”

With Kroenke steadfast in his plans to reject any formal offer, Henry concedes it will be a slow process, but that Ek is determined to follow through on his initial interest.

“A takeover is going to be very long and not easy if it ever happens,” he said. “Daniel will not move away, he will be there waiting to see if they want to sell, that is going to take a long time. We know what we want to do but first and foremost we need to make sure we can takeover, if they are listening.

“Lets see where it is going to go, he reached out. I don’t know now how far they went. I don’t have that type of money to talk about it and cannot talk like that about how much it is, that is between Daniel and the Kroenke family – if they dare to entertain the bid.”

Henry went on to insist the bid did not develop because of unhappiness with performances or a lack of success on the pitch.

“It took Liverpool a long time to win a trophy but along the way they never lost their identity, they always stuck together,” he added. “That is what we want to bring, that DNA and identity back. If you had fans on the board that Super League would never have happened.

“Everyone is trying to chase Manchester City right now, it is not going to be easy, but it is not only about what is going on on the field, it is also about what is happening off the field and the fans are not happy about it.”

PA