American business tycoon Stan Kroenke has purchased 10 more shares in Arsenal to edge him even closer to the threshold that forces him to make a takeover bid at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners announced on Monday that Kroenke, who is also a director of the club, has control of 18,604 ordinary shares in the company.

That represents a 29.9 per cent holding, just 0.1 short of threshold figure at which British company law requires investors to make an offer to buy out all the other shareholders.

Kroenke, who has a personal fortune in the region of £2billion, declined an opportunity to clarify his intentions at Arsenal's AGM last month, which fuelled speculation that a bid could be imminent.

The Denver-based businessman, 62, already owns the NBA's Denver Nuggets, ice hockey team the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rapids MLS football team, but now looks destined to add Arsenal to his extensive portfolio.