"Once I buy Arsenal, Wenger will be sacked" - Dangote

Aliko Dangote,  the richest man in Africa, who is worth £8.6billion – has supported the Gunners since the mid-Eighties. He aims to submit his bid once the construction of a new oil refinery in Lagos, Nigeria, is completed.

Dangote told Bloomberg: “The first thing I would change is the coach. He has done a good job, but someone else should also try his luck.” Wenger has been boss at Arsenal for 21 years and is the longest-serving manager of any side in Europe. Fan protests against his rule rumbled on throughout last season but the Frenchman agreed a two-year contract extension in May.

Kroenke’s fellow Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov had a £1bn takeover offer for the club turned down earlier this year. But Dangote, 60, believes his power of persuasion can work on the billionaire shareholders. He said: “If they get the right offer, I’m sure they would walk away. “Someone will give them an offer that will make them seriously consider walking away.

“And when we finish the refinery, I think we will be in a position to do that. “It’s a great team, well-run. It could be run better, so I will be there. “I will wait. Even if things change I will take it.” Dangote, who counts former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein as a good friend, has previously spoken of his desire to purchase the North London side.

He put a four-year time frame on his plan to complete the takeover when speaking last September. Dangote said at the time: “Maybe three to four years. The issue is that we have more challenging headwinds. “I need to get those out the way first and start having tailwinds. Then I’ll focus on this.”