The ongoing power struggle between Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, who have both added to their Arsenal shareholdings in December, has been complicated by Arsenal director Sir Chips Keswick's purchase of more shares in the company.

Keswick has bought 15 shares at a price of £8,500 per share, taking his stake in the club to 0.9 per cent. While that is miniscule in comparison to the stakes of Kroenke and Usmanov, small numbers are currently significant at Arsenal; Kroenke is within 17 shares of the point that would oblige him to make an offer for all the remaining shares in the club.

Representatives of Usmanov, the second largest shareholder in the club, have demanded in the British press that Kroenke announce his intentions. The American has consistently rejected the chance to do so, most notably at Arsenal's AGM last month. After a number of months of inactivity, Usmanov acquired another 688 shares in Arsenal in December at a cost of several million pounds.

In addition to his involvement at the Emirates, and formerly at Highbury, Keswick has served as a director of the Bank of England, a role also held by his father, since 1993.