KROENKE MAKES PROMISE TO FANS OF ‘REALLY BIG’ ARSENAL AS MERSON AIMS DIG AT NINE GUNNERS PLAYERS

Josh Kroenke insists “really big” Arsenal are at the centre of his family’s long-term plans after another positive season at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners announced a boardroom shuffle in March 2023 with owners Stan Kroenke and Josh Kroenke becoming co-chairs.

Arsenal are having another positive season

Stan Kroenke assumed 100 per cent ownership of Arsenal in 2018 through holding company Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

Arsenal fans protested against Kroenke’s ownership after he tried to lead the club into the doomed European Super League in 2021, but his investment over the last four transfer windows has helped the Gunners launch back-to-back Premier League title bids.

Their 2-0 loss to Aston Villa on Sunday some them slip off the top of the Premier League table are now two points behind defending champions Manchester City with six matches to play.

Arsenal are also still in the Champions League with their quarter-final against Bayern Munich finely poised as the Gunners travel to Bavaria for the second leg on Wednesday after the first leg ended 2-2.

The Arsenal fans had previously questioned the Kroenke’s support of the Premier League club with the Americans boasting a big catalogue of sports outfits under their control.

But in an interview with Curious Mike on YouTube, Josh Kroenke said that the “really big” club in their portfolio is Arsenal

“We were a real estate family that fell into sports due to our love of it,” Kroenke said.

“It’s morphed into what we have now – Los Angeles Rams, Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado Rapids. The really big one is over in London. We have Arsenal Football Club.

“We’ve been pretty committed. We’re long-term holders in everything we do. My father’s philosophy, and it’s the same with me as well, whenever you invest in something, if you’re trying to short buck… that’s not our strategy.

“We want to invest in something that makes sense for us over the long-term.”

Asked to describe his purpose, Kroenke added: “I really enjoy getting to know people and trying to get the most out of them.

“My college coach always said I’d make a great basketball coach because I loved the game but I also really loved trying to get the most out of my teammates.

“That plays out across my life in numerous areas – whether it’s the Nuggets, Rams or Arsenal.”

Paul Merson: Arsenal lack quality from the bench

Paul Merson has hit out at the quality on the Arsenal bench with the nine substitutes on Sunday lacking the ability to change the match against Aston Villa.

“Look at the bench,” Merson told Sky Sports on Tuesday. “There is nothing worse when it’s not going well and you look at the bench thinking, ‘I’ve not got much here’ – you can’t change it.

“Usually, there is Trossard to come on or Jesus to come on. Now he’s got nothing. It’s no disrespect to the other [players] but they’re not proven substitutes.

“Trossard changes football matches. Jesus, if you’re a centre-half you think, ‘Oh no, not him coming on’ – they’re proven substitutes.”

2024-04-17T09:00:53Z dg43tfdfdgfd