James Olley is reporting that a source close to the Alisher Usmanov camp has denied there is any truth to the rumour that the Arsenal majority shareholder is looking to sell his shares so he can join his chum at Everton.

The rumour started on Wednesday but we held off on reporting it as we had a feeling that the story wouldn’t take long to develop and it seems like our patience has been rewarded as Olley, chief football correspondent for the London Evening Standard, tweeted:

Selling up didn’t seem to make any sense given how hard Usmanov has fought to gain the shares he has.

Still denied a place on the board, there have, no doubt been, countless times when he could have sold up and moved on, but he keeps acquiring shares , increasing his holding little by little.

Not overly the sign of a man looking for an exit plan.