Gunners board 'committed'- Edelman

Arsenal managing director Keith Edelman maintains the board are "committed to" and "love" the club.

With just shy of a 10% stake in the Barclays Premiership outfit currently up for sale from broadcaster ITV, there has been growing speculation the Gunners are primed for a takeover.

However, majority shareholders continue to stress they have no intentions of selling up, with Edelman telling Arsenal's website: "The directors are committed to the club and love the club."

Earlier this week, American company Kroenke Sports Enterprise, who already have an "innovative strategic relationship" with the north-London club through Major League Soccer team Colorado Rapids, issued a statement stressing they had no intention of taking an active financial interest.

With the valuation of Arsenal - their parent company listed on the alternative Plus market - currently around £404million, it would represent a significant outlay for any potential investor.

The news that former managing director Ken Friar transferred almost £1million of shares to chairman Peter Hill-Wood for free further fuelled reports of preparation for a bid from external interested parties.

Edelman, though, has moved to reassure fans the current board have no intentions of moving on.

"As everyone knows the Granada/ITV stake [9.9% of the shares] has been for sale for the last 12 months. They have announced that owning football clubs was not part of their strategy," Edelman told www.arsenal.com.

"That started a lot of media speculation but, as a board, we want to step back from that. The directors are committed to the club and love the club. That is all we want to say on the matter at the moment."