Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke was spotted observing an open training session ahead of Tuesday night’s huge Champions League last-16 first-leg tie against PSV Eindhoven.
The Gunners trained at their Sobha Realty Centre in London Colney in sunny Hertfordshire on Monday morning in a session open to the media before flying to the Netherlands this afternoon in preparation for their high-profile match at the Philips Stadion.
There did not seem to be any unexpected absentees from the Arsenal squad who were put through their paces by manager Mikel Arteta, who is still without Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu due to injury.
Myles Lewis-Skelly is back in contention however after missing last week’s goalless draw at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League following his red card in the shock 1-0 home defeat by West Ham.
The session instead appeared to be most notable for the presence of Kroenke, who was pictured in attendance at London Colney alongside Arsenal’s managing director Richard Garlick and interim sporting director Jason Ayto.
American Kroenke is the son of Gunners owner Stan Kroenke who serves as the club’s co-chair having initially been appointed as a non-executive director in 2013.
The 44-year-old regularly travels over to the UK and was in attendance at the Emirates Stadium back in December when Arsenal played out a goalless draw with Everton in the Premier League.
It remains to be seen if Kroenke will be in attendance on Tuesday night for the first leg of the club’s Champions League last-16 tie against PSV in Eindhoven.
Arsenal are currently in the process of trying to recruit a permanent successor to the outgoing Edu as sporting director, with former Atletico Madrid stalwart Andrea Berta having now emerged as a leading target after reportedly rejecting AC Milan.
The search for Edu’s full-time replacement in north London is being led by Garlick and executive vice-chair Tim Lewis, with the Brazilian having resigned in November and then agreed a deal to take up a role overseeing the group of clubs owned by Evangelos Marinakis, including Nottingham Forest.
