Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has made transfer vow as fans protest ahead of Everton game

Arsenal: Fans protest against owner Kroenke

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Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has reportedly vowed to invest in Mikel Arteta’s squad in the summer transfer window – as fans protested against him ahead of Friday’s game against Everton. Supporters have gathered outside The Emirates Stadium ahead of the Premier League clash amid anger at the club’s owners and their involvement in the botched European Super League breakaway bid.

Fans displayed banners with slogans such as ‘Kroenke out’ and ‘Love the team, hate the regime’, with some setting off flares as they showed their anger at the running of the club.

Owners of all the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ clubs have all faced criticism this week after they were forced to pull out of the controversial Super League plans following a furious backlash from across the game.

Gunners’ supporters ire at bid to form a breakaway league comes amid disillusionment at the team’s performances on the pitch, with Arteta’s team languishing in ninth place in the Premier League – although they are also in the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Arsenal owners the Kroenke have moved to try and placate club staff and earn the trust of fans by relying the message that money will be ploughed into the squad this summer.

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Chief exectutive Vinai Venkatesham and non-executive director Tim Lewis spoke to all Arsenal staff on a call on Friday, according to The Telegraph.

The publication says it was suggested to staff that Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) will invest in the squad when the transfer window opens, and that Josh Kroenke – Arsenal director and the son of the majority shareholder – will follow up with another call in the coming days.

The news comes after Kroenke Jnr apologised for the club’s involvement in the Super League fiasco as he and Venkatesham addressed supporters at a virtual fans’ forum on Thursday.

During the forum, he said Arsenal’s owners joined the breakaway group because they feared the consequences of being left out of it, and insisted they would learn from the mistake.

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While protesters outside the Emirates have called for the Kroenkes to sell, Kroenke suggested to the fans’ forum that KSE have no plans to relinquish their interest in the club.

He said, “We believe we are fit to go forward with Arsenal,” and then, referrring to the Super League proposals, added: We were put in a difficult situation by sources outside the club.

“We asked ourselves, what is worse: ESL, or ESL without Arsenal?

“We also asked ourselves what do the fans want? The global fan wants AFC v Barca as often as possible.

“English fans want to see more big matches, but you still want your cold nights in Stoke. We got it wrong.”

Venkatesham had begun the meeting by apologising for the board’s actions over the past week.

The CEO said: “Arsenal not the authors of this proposal, despite what many think. On this project ‘the train was leaving the station’, we made the decision to join.

“We made a bad decision, a terrible one.”

Arsenal’s game at home to Everton is due to kick off at 8pm.

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