Arsene Wenger has played
down suggestions that persistent talk of a possible takeover could
distract Arsenal from their efforts to clinch fourth place in the
Premiership.
The Gunners have seen American businessman Stan Kroenke increase
his stake in the club to just over 11 per cent in the past week
after snapping up ITV's shares and a small percentage of director
Danny Fiszman's stake.
Rumours that the club could be the subject of a Malcolm Glazer
style takeover have grown as a result, but Wenger believes the
current board have no intention of selling up.
Furthermore, the French boss is confident that speculation of
change at the highest level will not disrupt the team ahead of
Saturday's crucial meeting with Bolton.
"I think the club and the board is resolute to keep control of the
club, that's what I know and I can not tell you more than that,"
Wenger told the website.
"The chairman has said two things; one is he does not really know
the intentions of this guy and two is that he is determined to keep
the club under control with the board he has.
"That means 10 per cent of shares have moved from one pocket to
another, but that does not change the life inside the club nor
would it affect the area where decisions are taken."
The Gunners are currently just two points ahead of Bolton with a
game in hand, and a fourth Premiership defeat in five games on
Saturday would cast further scrutiny on the club's claims for a
UEFA Champions League place.
Wenger admits finishing fourth is the very least the club expect,
even if competition at the top end of the table is becoming more
intense.
"It is the minimum target we want to reach at the start of every
season, and it will be like that every year," Wenger added.
"You want to be in the Champions League again and to win it next
year you have to be in. We want to be there and nobody else so I do
not worry about what will happen if they get in.
"In England, you have the potential of 10 massive clubs and they
will not always be asleep.
"To smash in and compete in the top four, you will now have Aston
Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham. They are all big clubs with the same
potential as Arsenal.
"Bolton? I do not know whether they have the same potential fans
as, say, Newcastle. If Newcastle have a good team, they would get
60,000 people every week."