Kroenke spotted at Arsenal training after sticking to "aggressive" transfer vow

19 July 2023 , 18:04

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Arsenal Director Josh Kroenke with new signings Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber during a training session at the George Mason University in Washington, DC. (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal director Josh Kroenke was spotted at the Gunners' training base in Washington DC ahead of their clash with MLS All-Stars.

The son of the billionaire sports and entertainment magnate Stan - who acquired the club in full five years ago - descended upon the pre-season camp at George Mason University, where he was pictured in conversation with some new recruits. Supporters of the North London giants were left frustrated as their title charge fizzled out last season but Mikel Arteta has been backed in the transfer window this summer.

Clearly not content with a runners-up finish last term, the Spanish head coach has been handed over £200 million to bring Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber to the Emirates Stadium. All three players are present after completing their respective moves to North London and could be in line to feature in an exhibition match versus an ensemble cast of the US league's biggest names.

After going so close to bringing an end to their 19-year wait for a top-flight title last season, it appears that neither the owners nor the manager are willing to rest on their laurels. This latest investment in the playing staff means that the Gunners have spent over £100 million in each of the last three summers in bid to improve their squad.

This spending is very much in line with the comments made by Kroenke Jr coming off the back of Arsenal spending £140 million in the summer of 2021, where he vowed that the club would pursue a committed approach to improving "on and off the pitch". Speaking to the Daily Mail in November of that year, he said: "Since 2018 we have been as aggressive as we can in our singular ownership of the club.

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"We’ve refinanced multi-hundreds of million pounds of stadium debt, we’ve broken transfer records and this past summer we had the highest net spend of anyone in the Premier League.

"Does that mean we’re going to keep doing it? I’m not 100 per cent sure. But we’re going to continue to be aggressive and when we see areas where we can improve the club on and off the pitch, we’re going to keep doing it."

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 17: Declan Rice of Arsenal during a training session at the George Mason University on July 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) (2023 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)

Arteta has teased that the club's spending may not end there this summer either, with the former Everton midfielder having admitted that more reinforcements could be brought in before the window closes in September. He said: "Let's see, there is a lot of time still in the market. There is a lot of expectation with some of our players. We will have to see how things develop in the next few weeks.

"We will be alert, there is still time to do things, there is still time for exits obviously, so I am sure things will move."

The Gunners will face MLS All-Stars before blockbuster friendly clashes against fellow Premier League giants and Spanish champions Barcelona during their tour of the US. Following on from that, a further friendly versus AS Monaco follows, before a curtain-raiser against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Tom Beattie