Ex-Arsenal star quit football and made £10billion before hatching plan to buy out the Kroenkes

A billionaire former Arsenal star has said he is open to buying out the Gunners' owners, the Kroenke family.

Mathieu Flamini, who retired from playing in 2019, has enjoyed incredible success in business, co-founding GFBiochemicals. He now owns more than half of the company with his net worth swelling to an incredible £10billion, according to Forbes.

The same US business magazine valued the Gunners at £2.6bn earlier this year, meaning Flamini, 41, could conceivably afford to buy the club several times over. The former AC Milan midfielder has previously hinted that he would be interested in running a club close to his heart, such as Arsenal or his boyhood side, Marseille.

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He told The Athletic in 2023: "Football is the No.1 sport, it is driving so much attention, the hot issues of this world should also be on the agenda of the governing bodies.

"It’s a world that I belong to. If there is the right opportunity at the right time and the right discussion, if I meet people who are the same vision and mindset and desire to use football for a purpose, I would love to. Obviously, those clubs [Arsenal and Marseille] have a special place in my heart.

"I never forget where I come from. In life, you never know, but it’s all about the right opportunity. I’m a real believer in the right time, right place, right people. We’ll see what the future is made of. I’m a believer. If you want something very much, the universe usually brings it to you. Let's see what the universe will bring."

Interestingly, Flamini credits two of his former Arsenal team-mates, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, as the men who helped install the work ethic in him to continue being a success one he retired from football.

"I learnt to work. Work is very important and they were giving everything in training," he said. "Every little game was a fight, every little game was important to win and since then I have felt the same. Every game has to be won. The winning mentality is something that I remember well.

"I was very impressed because they were already top players and it was a chance to be with them every day, play with them and learn from them. I was feeling lucky but I wanted to be part of that group."

But despite all of the above comments, there has been no hint that owner Stan Kroenke is ready to sell at present. And, for now, Flamini is focused on GFBiochemicals. He said: "We founded GF Biochemicals with the ambition of finding sustainable alternatives to oil-based products."

The company is dedicated to creating eco-friendly alternatives to the potentially harmful petrochemicals found in everyday items, including plastic, rubber and even bath gel.

Flamini had previously poured cold water on the prospect of football ownership, saying: "Don’t ask me how I’ll be involved in football, because it’s not something I’ve thought about. But, definitely, it’s something which I’ve been part of forever in my life. I will always want to be part of this community."