Arsenal owner and head of Kroenke Sports Entertainment, Stan Kroenke, added a second major US sports trophy to his cabinet in less than six months. After his LA Rams won the Superbowl earlier this year, he and his son Josh Kroenke were in attendance as NHL side the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup.
Whilst Arsenal finished as the fifth-best side in England last season, Stan Kroenke currently owns the two best teams in the NHL and NFL. His Denver Nuggets side reached the play-offs of the 2021/22 NBA season but were defeated in the first round.
However, it will be hoped the two trophy wins for Kroenke will have whetted his appetite to want to continue his dominant run as a sports team owner. Arsenal will be his next opportunity to win silverware in the new year should the Gunners claim the League Cup.
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Arsenal reached the semi-final of the competition but were knocked out by eventual winners Liverpool. However, the competition is again likely to be the fourth priority for manager Mikel Arteta as he targets Champions League qualification through the Premier League top four or a Europa League victory.
An FA Cup would be the second in Arteta’s short tenure, but that elite European competition is what continues to call Arsenal after a disappointing end to the last season. But what has been synonymous in the victories for Stan’s sides has been money and that is certainly flowing in north London.
Arsenal have already confirmed three signings this summer for a combined figure exceeding £40 million. Matt Turner, Marquinhos and Fabio Vieira have all arrived early on as the club returns for pre-season.
That figure is set to double with the arrival of Gabriel Jesus. It is understood Arsenal, Manchester City and the player are in full agreement and the Brazilian is set to be announced as the club’s latest signing and take on the number nine vacated by the now-departed Alexandre Lacazette.
However, the club are showing no sign of slowing. Two bids for Raphinha and Lisandro Martinez have been rejected and reports suggest another for the latter has been submitted.
Raphinha is expected to sort his future in the coming weeks and Arsenal are expected to return again soon to try and secure Jesus’ compatriot on a long-term deal. Should Arsenal push ahead with these moves and target a central midfielder, as has been suggested with links to Youri Tielemans, the spending could be record-breaking.
2021 saw a record outlay of around £150 million, and if the Gunners get their targets this summer, they will surely surpass that figure. Mikel Arteta has been working with Edu to try and build a group capable of competing and this summer will see a culmination of three major transfer windows of work.
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