<div><p>American sports magnate Stan Kroenke has moved to within 17 shares of the threshold requiring him to mount a takeover of Arsenal after upping his stake in the English Premier League club.</p><p>The London side said on Monday that Kroenke had acquired 25 more shares last week at a cost of 212,500 pounds (342,099 dollars).</p><p>The Denver-based Kroenke increased his stake in Arsenal to 29.9 percent last month.</p><p>If he ups his holding to 29.99 percent, Kroenke must, under English company law, make an offer for the remaining shares - in effect, launch a takeover bid.</p><p>Kroenke, who has been increasing his holding in Arsenal in recent months, declined an opportunity at the club's October annual general meeting to clarify his intentions, fuelling speculation a takeover bid could be imminent.</p><p>Some of his shares in the club have been purchased from Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood.</p><p>That was seen as an indicator of the Arsenal hierarchy's preference for Kroenke over Arsenal's second-biggest shareholder, Alisher Usmanov, whose company Red and White Holdings holds a stake of just under 26 percent.</p><p>Arsenal, who beat Hull City 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium here on Saturday, are currently third in the Premier League table - six points behind leaders Chelsea but with a game in hand.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=65815797&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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