Aliko Dangote Keen On Buying Arsenal

Five years after Nigerian businessman and Arsenal fan Aliko Dangote's offer to buy the North London club was rejected, he has been linked to them again. Dangote admitted he remains interested in owning the Gunners but told Bloomberg he will not offer a "ridiculous price," rather just one the "owners won't want to resist."

If successful, Dangote will become the first African to own an English Premier League club. Here's five things to know about the man who one day hopes to buy Arsenal.

Africa's richest man

A self-made entrepreneur from Nigeria's Kano State, Dangote studied at Cairo's Al-Azhar University and began his business at the age of 21 with a loan from his uncle. He began trading in rice and vegetable oil but has since expanded into the other agricultural industries as well as cement and oil. His involvement in the latter saw his net worth drop $25 million but he is still estimated to be worth a total value of $18.4 billion by Forbes, who listed him as the 67th wealthiest person in the world.

How he lives

Dangote, who is a devout Muslim, lives on Victoria Island in Nigeria's Lagos Lagoon in a mansion described by Forbes as having a "massive black gate, bulletproof windows, video surveillance, guards and a secret entryway." He has a butler to serve his meals and enjoys the finer things in life. In an interview with Time magazine, he admitted to once owning 25 cars. Now, he sticks to a yacht and private airplanes.

Where some of his money goes

Dangote's vast wealth has already been used for causes other than his own enrichment. He provided a significant portion of the funding for Olusegun Obasanjo's re-election bid in 2003 when he contributed around $2m to the retired army general's campaign. More recently, he gave around $1m to help stop the spread of the Ebola virus which hit West Africa last year.

His own sporting prowess

As a businessman from a young age, Dangote did not have much time for other passions but does take time out for his health. During a lecture which Nigeria's Tribune newspaper reported on, Dangote revealed that he exercises every morning and enjoys jogging: "Exercise is better than any medicine I can get. Exercise and sleep."

How he feels about Arsene Wenger

If Dangote gets in to Arsenal, it seems Wenger may be out. The Nigerian has said that the club "needs a new direction," and Wenger "needs to change his style a bit."

Culled from: espnfc