Usmanov overtakes QPR’s Mittal in rich list
ARSENAL shareholder Alisher Usmanov has overtaken QPR steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal as the second richest man in English football, behind Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour.
Usmanov’s fortune has swelled from £8bn to £12.4bn in the last 12 months, moving him above Mittal, whose wealth has shrunk by a third to £11.8bn, according to research by FourFourTwo magazine.
Abu Dhabi-based Sheikh Mansour, whose lavish spending since taking over in 2008 has elevated City to the Premier League’s top table, still boasts the deepest pockets by some distance, with £20bn.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich’s bank balance increased by some £3bn to £10.4bn, but he remains fourth, while Tottenham owner Joe Lewis is sixth with a stable £2.8bn.
Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke, who has thus far outmanoeuvred Usmanov in the Emirates Stadium power struggle, is eighth with a £1.8bn fortune.
Former England captain David Beckham remains by far the richest player, with £135m, while England boss Fabio Capello tops the managers’ list with £38m.