In a recent interview, the richest black man on earth, Aliko Dangote disclosed that he regrets not buying the English Premier League side, Arsenal Football club.
According to Dangote, he once planned to buy Arsenal Football Club after completing his petroleum refinery. However, he mentioned that the opportunity has passed, noting that prices have risen and the club is performing exceptionally well in the EPL.
Dangote mentioned that when he initially wanted to buy Arsenal, the football club was struggling. He also pointed out that after completing his $20 billion project; the refinery, he no longer has the excess liquidity to purchase the club for $4 billion.
In his words; “I think that time has passed, the last time when we had this interview I told you that yes as soon as I finished with the refinery, I’m going to try and buy Arsenal. but the issue is that you know, everything has gone up and the clubs, too, they are all doing very well, Arsenal is doing extremely very well, at that time Arsenal was not doing well, I think, you know, I don’t have that kind of excess liquidity to go and buy a club for $4billion, so to speak and you know use it as a promotional something You know I would rather do something with the money…”
Speaking further, Dangote noted that even though he would not be buying Arsenal, he remains one of the biggest fans of the football club, and will be watching the football club games every time they are playing.
He said; “What I will do, is I will continue to be the biggest fan of Arsenal, I will watch you know games every day, anytime that they are playing, I’ll watch, so I will remain a major supporter of Arsenal, but I don’t think if it makes sense today to buy Arsenal.”
The interviewer asked Dangote, “Do you regret not buying it before?, last time we spoke?”
Responding, Dangote uttered that he regretted not buying Arsenal at that time as he disclosed that his money was much more needed in completing his petroleum refinery then.
He says; “Actually I regret not buying before, but you know my money was more needed in completing my project than buying Arsenal.”
The interviewer further asked; “So you would have bought Arsenal for $2billlion?
Dangote responded; “I would have bought it for $2billion, yeah but you know I would not have been able to finish my project, you know, so it is either finish your project or go and buy Arsenal.”
