Aliko Dangote has been linked with Arsenal for some time, with the businessman previously stating that he will be pursuing a takeover of the club.

The Nigerian billionaire – the richest man in Africa – has made several statements in the past about his desire to become the owner of the North London club.

And in January of this year, he reiterated his intentions, stating that: “It is a team that yes I would like to buy some day, but what I keep saying is we have $20billion worth of projects and that’s what I really want to concentrate on.

“I’m trying to finish building the company and then after we finish, maybe sometime in 2021 we can.

“I’m not buying Arsenal right now, I’m buying Arsenal when I finish all these projects, because I’m trying to take the company to the next level.”

And now Dangote has been told how much it will cost to secure a bid for one of the Premier League’s big sides.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been linked with a takeover of Chelsea for some years, but last August saw his company Ineos complete a deal to take over Nice instead.

His brother, Bob Ratcliffe, who is head of the football division for Ineos – owners of Ligue 1 side Nice – has revealed how much it would currently cost to take over a Premier League club.

Bob told the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit that a takeover of a ‘top six’ club would cost at least £2billion.

Meanwhile, a move for a team elsewhere in the Premier League would cost between £150million and £350million.

He added that: “They’re all for sale.”