The board of Arsenal Football Club has agreed steps to prevent any attempt of a takeover, including that by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

A revision of a lock-down agreement will mean that directors of the club will only be able to sell shares in the club to “permitted persons” before April 2009 and must give fellow board members first option until October 2012.

The move comes after Usmanov publicly confirmed his desire to acquire the club and increased his holding in the club to 23 per cent.

This replaces the existing deal which was due to expire in April 2008 and will be seen as another safe-guard against the possibility of a takeover.

Peter Hill-Wood, chair, Arsenal FC, said: “Members of the board are committed long-term shareholders and to strengthen the current position they have entered into a new agreement which replaces the existing lock-down agreement which expires next April.

“Under the new agreement, the board members have agreed not to dispose of any of their interests in the club before 18 April 2009, other than to certain permitted persons such as close family.

After that date, for the remainder of the term of the agreement, they can only sell their shares to another person if the other parties to the agreement do not wish to buy them.

“There has been much recent media coverage surrounding the share ownership of the group, following the arrival of two new major shareholders in the past year. The Arsenal board is committed to the principle of developing the long-term stability of the club through maintaining a business that pays its own way.”