Stan Kroenke has bought 22 more shares in Arsenal Football Club at £28,000 each, a £616,000 investment taking his total shareholding to 67.09 per cent.

Wednesday’s Daily Mail reported that Kroenke bought the shares as a message to the other major shareholder, Alisher Usmanov.

Over the summer, Usmanov reportedly launched a takeover bid, but was unsuccessful.

Now it seems Arsenal’s American owner wants to make it clear he’s not going anywhere.

An report from the same writer in the Mail the day before claimed 42 shares changed hands.

However, it appears this was just a mistake, as the club have confirmed Kroenke’s exact stake has increased by 22.

The American isn’t the only person to invest in Arsenal shares in recent days.

Last week, a mystery investor bought three £28,000 shares in the club, a record price at the time.

Perhaps this movement inspired the 70-year-old to increase his own stake. Alternatively, it could just be that the new price has a few more shareholders willing to sell.

What it means is Kroenke now owns 67.09 per cent of the club, Usmanov owns 30.04 per cent, and the remaining 2.87 per cent is held by minor shareholders.

If either of the major shareholders bought out the other’s holding, they could then force that 2.87 per cent to sell and take the club fully private.

The Mail claim this is exactly what Kroenke wants, so he can forgo the AGM and publishing accounts.

Hopefully Usmanov sticks to his word and doesn’t let that happen.