Ian Wright believes that it’s ‘great news’ that Alisher Usmanov put in a bid to buy Arsenal this week.

  • Usmanov currently owns 30% of Arsenal
  • Uzbek-born Russian billionaire has no place on Arsenal board
  • Offered to buy Kroenke’s shares for £35,000 – bid failed
  • Wright believes that something has to change at his former club

On Friday, news of Usmanov’s failed £1bn bid to buy Arsenal reached the internet via the Financial Times, which prompted current majority shareholder, American businessman Stan Kroenke, to apparently pledge his commitment to the Gunners despite Usmanov allegedly offering him three times what he originally paid per share.

Arsenal legend, Wright, believes that Usmanov’s bid is good news as it proves that others recognise the club’s need for change and it’ll make the fans feel as if something’s being done behind the scenes.

“He has put in the bid and it is great news,” Wright told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Something has to change, whether it is the manager Arsene Wenger or whether it is the board upstairs.

“It is not looking good for Arsenal at the moment.

“They may be out of the Champions League – something they are not used to – and they have to beat one of the best Chelsea sides I have seen for a long time in the FA Cup final to try and get something from the season.

“Where are they going to sign players from? Who is going to want to come to Arsenal instead of anywhere else in London? At the moment, they are not an attractive proposition.

“We are already missing out on the managers we are supposedly interested in and we are going to start missing out on the kind of players that are going to be available and want to play in the Premier League.

“Top players may want to leave. Too much is up in the air.

“Something has got to happen for Arsenal to go to that next level. This bid will galvanise the fans.”

Arsenal face Everton on Sunday hoping that results elsewhere go their way as Liverpool host Middlesbrough and Manchester City travel to Watford.

The Gunners currently sit in fifth, just one point behind Liverpool, and face finishing outside the top four for the first time in over two decades.