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LoginARSENAL ready to launch an £18million bid for Huntelaar
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ARSENAL are ready to launch an £18million bid for Dutch goal ace Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is lining up the prolific Ajax striker as a replacement for Emmanuel Adebayor — if the £30m-rated Togo hitman is sold to Barcelona.
The double deal would net the Gunners a £12m profit. But the Frenchman insists that sort of business is essential and will stun every Arsenal fan by admitting: We are now a SELLING club. The £24m annual mortgage payments on the club’s £360m Emirates Stadium have become such a burden that Wenger admits he must now flog big-name players EVERY season.
Business
He declared: “The strategy of the club is to sell every year and to buy less expensive players.” And he has warned this official policy could continue for another 17 YEARS!
He added: “We manage at Arsenal to maintain all our football ambitions — national and European —while having to free up - for 17 more years - an annual surplus of £24m to pay for our stadium. “The club’s strategy is to favour the policy of youngsters ahead of stars and to count on the collective quality of our game.”
Under those guidelines, the Huntelaar-Adebayor swap would make good business sense. Huntelaar, 24, has a staggering scoring record in club and international football. He has scored 163 goals in 220 matches in Holland and seven times in 12 appearances for the national team. He is best pals with Arsenal striker and fellow Dutchman Robin van Persie.
Huntelaar is keen to move to England and Dutch sources claim Van Persie has told his pal how good life is at Arsenal during Euro 2008. A Dutch insider revealed: “Arsenal are keen on Huntelaar and he has confirmed he would be keen to discuss a move. “Klaas-Jan is an out and out goalscorer – just the sort Arsenal have needed for many seasons. “He might not have the silky skills you associate with a Wenger team but he has an amazing knack for putting the ball in the net.”
Adebayor is a £30m target for Spanish giants Barcelona, who are also eyeing Gunners team-mate Alexander Hleb.
Takeover
Last summer Wenger also sold the club’s record goalscorer Thierry Henry to Barcelona, which virtually completed the break-up of the famous Invincibles side. Wenger’s amazing 'sell' confession completely contradicts Arsenal chief executive Keith Edelman’s promise that the Frenchman would get as much as £70m to spend in this summer’s transfer market.
It also confirms Arsenal can never compete with the likes of Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea in the buying stakes. It could also open up the way for Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov - backed by former vice-chairman David Dein - to attempt a takeover.
Arsenal moved to their 60,000 all-seater stadium just up the road from their former home at Highbury two years ago. And Wenger’s comments are even more incredible considering the club’s latest turnover figures smashed the £200m barrier - making Arsenal Britain’s RICHEST club.
In February, Arsenal announced a massive 55 per cent INCREASE in half-year pre-tax profits but, poignantly, accredited this to the £16m sale of Henry to Barcelona. Arsenal earn £3.1m in match income and pocketed £90.6m in total match income last year. Their annual financial results to 31 May 2007 showed income soaring 46 per cent to £200.8m - up from £137.2m a year before.
The figures also showed Arsenal’s operating profits before player trading and exceptional items was £51.2m - up from £13.7m the previous year.
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Ajax: Gunners skipping Klaas
Ajax insist they have heard nothing from Arsenal concerning a possible bid for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - but have not mentioned Manchester United.
The Dutch striker has been linked to both the Gunners and United over the past week after scoring 33 goals for his club last season, although Ajax have vowed to fight any attempt to take him from Amsterdam ArenA.
"We really don't want him to leave and we are going to do everything we can to make sure he doesn't," said Ajax's acting managing director Henri van der Aat.
"There has been no contact with Arsenal."
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