American businessman Stan Kroenke has joined the Arsenal board after accepting an invitation to become a non-executive director of the club.

The billionaire owner of Kroenke Sports Enterprises holds 12.4% of shares in Arsenal Holdings PLC, and his prospective appointment to the board was widely interpreted as an attempt to stave off a potential takeover from Uzbek oligarch Alisher Usmanov. Kroenke has not, however, signed up to the 'lockdown' agreement drawn up by board members last year which prevents the trading of shares without the consent of fellow directors. Welcomed Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, welcomed the American's arrival on the board. "We are delighted to welcome Stan to the Board of Arsenal," Hill-Wood told the club's official website. "He brings with him a wealth of experience through his direct involvement in sports clubs in the US and we expect to benefit from his commercial insights and knowledge." Kroenke admitted he was honoured to be invited to join the board at Emirates Stadium. "It is a real honour to be invited to join the Board of Arsenal given its pre-eminent reputation and position in football world-wide. I hope that my background in sports management will be an asset to Arsenal in its commercial dealings going forward." The news comes as the Gunners continue to reap the rewards of their move to the Emirates Stadium with the club having announced that gate and match day revenue totalled £94.6million, which represents some 45% of their overall football revenues.

With Sebastian Giovinco’s future at Juventus looking far from secure, sections of the English press are tipping Arsenal to make a January transfer bid for the starlet.

Giovinco is regarded as one of Europe’s most explosive young talents, but his future at Juventus could be in limbo as he has been in a contract dispute with the club all summer.

The 21-year-old is demanding an increase in salary to €1m a year but so far the club’s management is refusing to meet his demands.

Yesterday Giovinco appeared to express his frustration at this situation when he stated: “My renewal with Juventus is not a priority and to be honest I couldn’t care less whether the contract is renewed or not.”

Giovinco has been linked with a move to Premiership giants Arsenal repeatedly over the last few months, with manager Arsene Wenger known to be a huge admirer of his creativity, flair and fantasy.

Reports in England claim that The Gunners will table a bid for the attacking midfielder in January and, due to the current contract dispute, are confident of getting their man.

Giovinco is also said to be unhappy after he was left on the bench for the entirety of Juventus’ opening day of the season draw against Fiorentina last week. With hot competition up-front for Juve, a move to Arsenal may attract him, given Wenger’s famed reputation for blooding youth.

Gianni Wilson

Welsh youngster Aaron Ramsey been withdrawn from his country's senior squad ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Russia...

Ramsey was part of John Toshack's squad for Saturday's qualifying win against Azerbaijan and appeared set to retain his place for the trip to Moscow this week.

However, the plight of the Wales under-21 team has seen the Arsenal midfielder travel to Romania in a desperate bid to resurrect the Young Dragons' hopes of reaching the European Championship finals.

Although Ramsey, 17, is well down the pecking order in the senior set-up, a lengthy injury list and Paul Parry's international retirement has already left the Wales squad looking a little thin.

But while Toshack admitted he was loath to omit one of Wales' most promising young talents, he is confident it was the right decision.

"I don't like this part of the job," the former Liverpool forward said in The Telegraph. "I had to tell him I felt it would be better if he had 90 minutes with the under-21 side in Romania rather than go to Moscow and sit on the bench.

"Like every young player he wanted to be involved against Azerbaijan at the weekend and he wanted to go to Moscow. But he is only 17 and we had six under-21 players on the field in the end in Cardiff on Saturday. Maybe, one more was too many.

"If we were an experienced international side and it was just a case of one or two players aged 17 and 18, that's different." 

Cecil Braun

A time will come when the Theo Walcott and Thierry Henry comparisons cease to exist. Of course, for that to happen, Theo would have to fail to make the grade and disappear into obscurity.

Walcott, no matter what he does, will always attract plaudits linking him with the French legend. The manner in which he took his goal against FC Twente, and even the way he consequenlty celebrated, were Henry-esque. Not only are their games similar - wingmen learning the trade of the flanks before being promoted to a role up top - but Walcott has also inherited Arsenal's top goalscorer's jersey number: 14.

The young England hopeful though, 19, hopes to release the labels that shackle him.

"I learnt so much from Thierry, but it was my own finish and I quite like to score goals like that," the Arsenal striker is quoted by football 365 as saying. "People always say it is like Thierry.. It is nice to be compared to him, of course, but I want to be my own player."

"It was good to get my first goal early on this season," he continued. "Last year I left it quite late, but then they kept coming, so hopefully I can carry on scoring now I have got the first one out of the way."

"I think my touch has improved this year and my link-up play has definitely improved. I need to just get into the games, keep running at players and to flow nicely," he added.

Walcott has recently been called up to England's first team squad at the expense of Michael Owen.

To solve the hole in Arsenal's midfield, Arsene Wenger is reportedly pondering the possibility of signing Blaise Matuidi.

Gilles Grimandi and Arsene Wenger are both reported to have been scouting Ligue Un again, but this time their eyes are cast over talented midfielder Blaise Matuidi.

Matuidi was one of the first names on the teamsheet for St.Etienne last season, and is regarded to have a promising future in France. If Wenger were to bid for the 21-year old then the figure involved would need to be large.

Matuidi is a French U21 international, and is expected to step up to the full team in the near future.

He seems like a typical Wenger signing. In England he would be thought of as a low-key recruit, he is young, has great potential, and he is French.