Arsenal director Josh Kroenke has revealed that ‘many’ offers to buy the club have been rejected in the wake of the European Super League scandal in April, and insists the club are not for sale.
Arsenal’s brief involvement as a founder member in the would be breakaway competition sparked fan protests against the already unpopular American owners. But Kroenke, whose father Stan succeeded in buying out the club’s remaining shareholders three years ago, insists the Gunners are not for sale.
Swedish billionaire and Arsenal fan Daniel Ek was the takeover bid that made the headlines. The Spotify CEO is publicly aligned with club legend Thierry Henry, and failed with a £1.8bn offer to buy the club in June - but Kroenke has explained there were others as well.
“The club is not for sale. We just took control of the club in 2018. I’m 41 years old. As far as I’m concerned we’re just getting started,” Kroenke told the Daily Mail.
“We received many, many other offers behind the scenes in addition to the one that was public and we only issued one statement on the whole thing and that was that the club was not for sale.
“Lots of parties, all over the world [have made offers]. Arsenal Football Club is a global thing and there are people paying attention all over the world and there’s people who want to get involved in this club all over the world. The club is not for sale. We’re just getting started.”
The American owners have been criticised in recent years for starving the club of meaningful investment, but Kroenke, who has already claimed to have been more awakened to what fans want because of the super league scandal, appears committed to long-term improvement.
“To use a metaphor of a house, the legendary Arsene Wenger had built Arsenal Football Club into one of the most beautiful houses you had ever seen. Over time that house has different people inside and out and over time every house needs to be renovated,” he said.
“When I sat down with Mikel [Arteta], all he talked about was culture,” Kroenke added, referring to a recent lunch meeting with the manager.
“He wanted to build on the foundations that Arsene had laid and the great people that had come before him. And also to help renovate the house back into a beautiful modern-day home that our fans can be proud of and you’re starting to see those foundations are really taking shape and he’s renovating the Arsenal home in a beautiful way. Hopefully, whether that’s one year, three years or five years, it’s going to become a home all Arsenal fans are proud of.”
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Source : 90min