Mystery surrounds an Arsenal share purchase this week.

The London Evening Standard says only 21 shares had been traded in Arsenal Holdings PLC this year but 20 - totalling £299,600 - were sold between 2.42pm and 4.25pm on Wednesday.

Alisher Usmanov requires just one share to increase his stake from 29.9 per cent to 30 - although this would largely be a symbolic figure after a change to the Premier League's rules last year. Prior to that, a 30 per cent holding would give a shareholder access to all "material transactions" including transfer fees, wages and agents payments.

Yet yesterday's purchases were not made by the majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, Red and White Holdings Ltd (Usmanov's investment vehicle) or Fanshare, a scheme which allows fans to buy shares.