Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, the founder of SLOK Holdings and former Abia State Governor, has publicly declared his intention to purchase a 35% stake in Arsenal Football Club via a statement on his official Facebook page.
“As a pillar of sports in Africa, I am considering an investment in football, and I will buy a 35 percent stake in Arsenal football club. Our target is to lift the Champions League and Premier League back to back as we did with Enyimba,” he said.
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The business tycoon has a wealth of experience regarding management and investment in clubs. He reiterated his success at Enyimba International FC between 2000-2007, where they won NPFL titles and clinched the CAF Champions League trophy in 2003 and 2004.
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“Our success with Enyimba between 2000-2007 has continuously increased my passion for football. Doing what you love and loving it is where greatness lies. I need 35 per cent of Arsenal to bring back trophies,” he added.
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Kalu also wants to strike an agreement between Arsenal and Enyimba if the deal works through, “With Arsenal, we will make Enyimba great again with the strategic partnership we are packaging. We shall turn it around to create a platform for more of our professional players seeking international exposure. A win-win outing for all parties.”
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What you should know
In recent years, Arsenal, which last won a premier league title during the invincible season in 2004, has been lagging in silverwares compared to the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United, and has not been playing Champions League football for the past four years.
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Delusional, insensitive and misplaced priorities, to say the least, coming from a two term governor and serving senator of one of the most infrastructuraly backward states in Nigeria. Abia state capital, Umuahia is so underdeveloped that it looks like a glorified local government headquarters. While Aba, a former nationally acclaimed economic hub has lost most of its clout due to paucity of the required investments, infrastructure and economic initiatives . Yet someone in a position to make the required positive difference is toying with the idea of investing in Arsenal FC – an investment which I guess is not even so much for its financial returns as it is for personal aggrandisement.