Stan Kroenke Injects Arsenal With Cash Boost to Ease Financial Concerns

Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has made more money available to the club to help ease the financial impact of the coronavirus crisis, which has caused significant problems for the Gunners over the last few months.

With finances already under strain because a ‘Champions League wage bill’ is only being supported by a ‘Europa League budget’, in the words of club official Josh Kroenke last summer, Arsenal negotiated a 12.5% pay cut with the squad early in the crisis.

There are concerns over a minimal transfer budget at a time when the squad is in need of a major rebuild and whether captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will commit his future to the club.

But a cash injection is at least coming after the club confirmed its intention in a note to the London Stock Exchange to redeem fixed rate bonds by a loan from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

The extra money will be welcome in terms of day to day operations and better financial flexibility, but the Daily Mail writes that the cash boost is not expected to change the situation regarding a low summer transfer budget.

Head coach Mikel Arteta recently acknowledged the scale of the challenge when he referenced having ‘a lot of rocks in our way’. It means the Gunners may have to be flexible and creative when trying to sign players, which could see more cost spreading as was the case when Nicolas Pepe joined last summer in a £72m deal, of which only £20m was paid up front.

Arsenal could also boost transfer funds by selling off players who no longer have a future at the club in Arteta’s vision. That could include midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, whose attitude and behaviour has been under public scrutiny ever since an unsavoury clash with Brighton players last month.

Both the club and player appear to be open to a parting of ways and it is thought Arsenal have put a £36m valuation on him. A recent report from Guendouzi’s native France claims early contact has begun with Inter, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

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