Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has disclosed his new
plans of taking over the ownership of Arsenal Football Club from Stan Kroenke.
“I’m trying to finish building the company and then after we finish, maybe some time in 2021 we can,” Dangote said in a recent interview on the David Rubenstein Show in September, Nigerian Guardian reports.
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The Nigeria businessman has made no secret of his desire to
take over the north London club in the past and has made several statements
about launching a future takeover bid in the past.
He said in 2018 that he would likely bid to buy the London
club in 2020. But he is currently
working towards the completion of his refinery in Lagos.
Dangote, a 62-year-old Gunners supporter, ranks number 136
on Forbes’ rich list, said his next focus is buying Arsenal after the
completion of his current projects.
But while the Dangote Refinery which is projected to be one
the world’s largest oil refineries has not been completed in three years, the
Nigerian businessman has made a definitive statement to buy Arsenal.
“It is a team that yes I would like to buy some day, but
what I keep saying is we have $20billion worth of projects and that’s what I
really want to concentrate on,” Dangote said
Dangote said the Arsenal project will get an unrivaled
attention after completing the current ones which are designed to take “the
company to the next level.”
Dangote owns about 85% of the publicly-traded Dangote Cement
through a holding company. He also owns stakes in publicly-traded salt, sugar
and flour manufacturing companies.
As at 2019, Dangote’s net worth was estimated to be $10
billion.