ARSENAL v MAN CITY:

THE LATEST BATTLE OF BILLIONAIRE ABSENTEE FOREIGN OWNERS

Name: Stan Kroenke. Nationality: American. Age: 71. Day job: Chairman of real estate firm THF; landowner and rancher; owner of KSE, a sports and entertainment holding company. Wealth: £6.5 billion. Family: Married to Walmart heiress Ann Walton, worth £4.7bn. Father of film producer Whitney Kroenke, and sports entrepreneur Josh Kroenke, an Arsenal board member. Sporting interests: First love was baseball and he was named after two players. Played baseball, basketball and did athletics at university Sporting investments: Owns teams in NFL (Rams), NBA (Nuggets), NHL (Avalanche) and MLS (Rapids) among others, as well as venues, TV stations — and Arsenal. Non-sports investments: Property, land, ranches, a winery (Napa Valley brand Screaming Eagle).

Fans of Kroenke say: He hasn’t sold a single share in any team he has invested in — this is evidence of long-termism. He knows on-field success brings off-field rewards and won’t ever work against that.

Critics of Kroenke say: He is a canny opportunist who cares only about the bottom line — mediocrity on the field is fine as long as the money keeps rolling in and his franchises grow in value over time.

MAN CITY

Name: Sheik Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Nationality: Emirati. Age: 47. Day job: Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. Wealth: £4bn (personal); £70bn (immediate family); £262bn (sovereign fund at his disposal). Family: Two wives, Alia (one son with her) and Manal (three sons and two daughters). Sporting interests: Endurance horseback racing; thoroughbred investor; half-marathon supporter. Sporting investments: Chairman of Al Jazira (multi-sport club); 87 per cent owner of City Football Group, which owns Man City, NYCFC, Melbourne, Yokohama, Girona and Atletico Torque. Non-sports investments: Majority owner of energy firm Aabar; stakes in multiple petrol firms, Virgin Galactic and Daimler.

Fans of Mansour say: He shrewdly invested to help a rough part of Manchester and a bad football club improve beyond expectation. He owns an asset worth more than he has invested and the future is bright.

Critics of Mansour say: He has ‘laundered’ the image of UAE’s ruling elite, of which he is part, via football. He cares nothing for City beyond that, and one visit in 10 years is proof. Stands accused of human rights atrocities.