Arsenal board ready for battle with Usmanov

The Arsenal board turned down the opportunity to buy the shares in the club purchased by the Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov on Monday, an acquisition which makes him the second biggest shareholder.

The decision not to acquire the three per cent stake on offer from Lansdowne Partners, a hedge fund, is a clear indication that the directors are confident that they can see off any possible takeover.

Usmanov spent £22.6m to purchase two groups of shares – with 1,953 changing hands for £10,250 and a further block of 320 shares going for £8,260 – to add to the £75m he spent last month to buy David Dein's holding. He now owns 21 per cent of Arsenal – with Danny Fiszman possessing 24 per cent, Nina Bracewell-Smith holding 15 per cent and the rest of the board 6.5 per cent.

The directors have a "lock-down" agreement by which they will not sell their holdings before April next year, but Fiszman is insisting he has no intention to sell at all.

Usmanov cannot mount a bid for at least another five months. But he is intent on getting his share of the club up to 25 per cent as quickly as possible, through his investment vehicle Red & White Holdings, which has Dein as chairman, so that he has a "block" to influence the club. He may also follow through on his threat for a seat on the board.

Given the premium he is paying for the shares it's unlikely that he is stock-building as an investment. But gaining control of Arsenal will be difficult unless Fiszman can be persuaded to sell. At the same time the American businessman Stan Kroenke, who holds 12 per cent, is keen to get closer to the existing board and has no intention of selling to Usmanov.

The Arsenal Supporters Trust has also made clear that although it wants to talk to Usmanov it would not welcome a hostile bid while manager Arsène Wenger went further than he has done before in endorsing the status quo.

"What's important is that the board have faith in me and let me work like I want to work, support me when I want support and give the feeling to the outside that there is unity inside," Wenger said ahead of tonight's Champions League tie against Seville.

"I am not concerned about a Russian takeover, I am concerned about tomorrow's game. It will not disrupt anything."

With the ownership issue turning into something of a game of Russian roulette – given Usmanov's involvement – for either Dein or the board, Wenger also claimed yesterday that his own "gamble" is paying off. The sale of Thierry Henry during the summer ended an era and started a period of renewal which Wenger's young team are grasping. "It was a big gamble," he admitted. "And it's one I haven't won yet because we have only played five games. But it's just we've started well and can do well."

Wenger also realised that Henry's departure may have been necessary for others to develop. "These players are 19, 20, 21," he said. "This team can grow up. I knew I took a gamble by losing Thierry but you can't keep [Emmanuel] Adebayor out. At his age you have to let him play. When a world-class player like Thierry Henry goes other players take more responsibility."

Wenger became aware of the need for a team to be given space to evolve more than 20 years ago when he spoke to Michel Platini. He was told that, when the going got tough, the rest of the players in the French national team always looked to give the ball to the midfielder. "So it's natural when [there is] a player of the calibre of Thierry, they look for him first to do something, and when he's not there somebody else, it's a bit more shared," Wenger said.

No-one has taken that responsibility more than Cesc Fabregas and Wenger accepted the invitation to compare the 20-year-old Spaniard with Platini. "His vision is comparable to Platini," Wenger said. "Cesc has it all in front of him. He will still develop. Platini was more of a striker and Cesc is more of a midfielder. Cesc likes to be at the heart of things." He will certainly be at the heart of things against Seville in what promises to be the most exciting tie this week.

The Spanish are led by coach Juande Ramos who is being courted by Tottenham as a replacement for Martin Jol. Wenger would not be drawn on that one – "I feel he is a very good coach but I feel that Martin Jol is a very good coach as well," he said – but added that he admired Seville. Indeed, he rates them as one of "four or five teams who can win" the European Cup."

Arsenal (probable, 4-4-2): Almunia; Sagna, Touré, Gilberto, Clichy; Hleb, Fabregas, Flamini, Rosicky; Van Persie, Adebayor.

Seville (4-4-2): Palop; Alves, Escude, Fazio, Dragutinovic; Navas, Poulsen, Marti, Duda; Kanoute, Renato.

Referee: P Frojfeldt (Sweden).

Seville's player to watch

Daniel Alves Attacking right-back whose forays down the flank have seen him play as a winger. Has won nine caps for Brazil. Won Uefa Cup in 2006 and 2007. Pursued by Chelsea in the summer.