“I never said anything bad about the club or somebody personally,” he says. “I said what, in my view, we can do – not better – but more effectively. I also want to highlight the contribution of the coaching team. They achieved the best they could at a time when the club had a huge financial deficit.” Usmanov’s appreciation for Wenger – he describes the Frenchman as “a genius” – is well documented but his supportive words for the current directors is perhaps more surprising. Several club insiders, however, confirm an easing of tensions during the past 18 months between Usmanov and the current board, headed by Kroenke. The two men were engaged in a complicated battle for control of Arsenal’s shares since making their first investments in 2007 right up until Fiszman’s death precipitated a mandatory takeover offer from Kroenke that resulted in him taking a majority share in 2011. Usmanov could then have sold his stake to Kroenke – he would have still profited handsomely – but he instead made a counter offer to Bracewell-Smith that would have blocked Kroenke’s takeover. Had Usmanov succeeded – and Lady Bracewell-Smith has since suggested that she may have made a mistake – he would have had more than 43 per cent of the shares against Kroenke’s total of almost 47 per cent. The preferences of smaller shareholders would then have decided the ownership structure of Arsenal. As it is, Usmanov has been left unable to significantly increase his stake beyond 30 per cent and, despite investing more than £200 million in Arsenal, without any day-to-day input on the club’s decision-making.