Arsenal billionaire in Red and White rumpus

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A legal row has blown up between billionaire Alisher Usmanov, the man who has bought a £75million stake in Arsenal, and the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan.

Craig Murray, who became a fierce critic of the Uzbek government after being the ambassador to the country from 2002 to 2004, was yesterday forced to remove a series of critical comments about Usmanov from his personal website.

Damaging claims: Alisher Usmanov

The former diplomat penned a piece about Usmanov after his company Red and White bought ex-Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein's 14.58% stake in the club last week.

Usmanov was born in Uzbekistan before moving to Russia and Murray made a number of allegations about the tycoon's links with the Uzbek regime.

Usmanov has instructed solicitors to take action against media outlets making any damaging claims about the businessman and they threatened to sue Murray unless the article was removed.

Meanwhile, Red and White, of which Dein is now chairman, have been buying up some more small parcels of shares in Arsenal during the last week even though they insist they are not seeking to take over of the club.

Arsene Wenger's decision today to extend his contract with Arsenal owes much to Dein persuading him to stay on at the club.

Dein and Wenger are close friends and it is understood the former vice-chairman played a significant role in the Frenchman agreeing a new deal.

There have been suggestions that Dein's enforced exit would lead to Wenger leaving the Gunners too when his current deal expired at the end of this season.

However the emergence of Dein as chairman of Red and White has made it clear that his involvement with Arsenal is by no means over - even if it is at arms-length for the time being.

A source close to Dein said: "David has said publicly that Arsene is the best person to manage Arsenal, and in private conversations between them he has left him in no doubt that he would like him to extend his contract." The relationship between the two men, however, will only increase speculation that a takeover bid for Arsenal is nigh.

 

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