Soccer: Kroenke picks up shares

US sports and real estate entrepreneur Stan Kroenke has bought another 25 shares in Arsenal, taking him close to the 30 per cent threshold for a mandatory takeover offer.

The Premier League club said yesterday that Kroenke bought the shares for £8500 each, giving him control of 18,649 ordinary shares.

That gives him 29.97 per cent of the 62,219 shares in the club.