EPL: Mikel Arteta hails Arsenal owners over commitment, transfer purchases

The Kroenke family has received praise from Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for making aggressive transfer market purchases in an effort to catch up to Manchester City and Liverpool.

Arsenal have already spent £118 million this summer and could add another big name before the transfer window closes.

Stan Kroenke and his son Josh travelled from Denver to witness Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over Orlando City and to oversee Oleksandr Zinchenko’s £32 million transfer.

Last year, Arsenal supporters wanted the Kroenkes to sell the club to Daniel Ek, the owner of Spotify.

However, Arteta believes they have demonstrated their commitment to the club by spending over £250 million on transfers in the last year.

Arteta: “I’ve been really impressed. They were here for two days, we had a lot time to sit down in a really relaxed way: talk about football, the sport in general.

“The vision they have, the commitment and level of understanding of the sport in general is fascinating. I can tell you, I have never seen ownership at that level so committed, close and engaged to bring this club where we want.

“I’m really happy. For what we planned and where we are today, we are pretty far on those plans. Everything is going really well and now it’s about finalising what we wanted to do.

“Obviously we have a big squad and some of the players have to leave and that’s what we’re trying to get – that balance right.

“If you look at how other teams have done it and where we were, there is a transition moment where that smile has to change at some stage.

“Just look where we are investing the money, we are not spending the money, we have made big investments, but investment for the future with huge talent and a lot of performance and possibly in the future we have to do something to have a squad that can sustainably be financed by itself. That’s the objective.”

On further new arrivals, Arteta said: “We’ll see, we will try to keep improving the team that’s for sure.”

In addition to Zinchenko, Arsenal also acquired Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos, and Matt Turner.