Share

Arsenal looking to trim squad, says Kroenke

Cape Town - Arsenal are actively seeking to reduce the size of their squad before the close of the European transfer window on September 2, according to club director Josh Kroenke.

The Gunners made almost £140 million worth of signings in the transfer market, with the likes of Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney coming in.

And, with Shkodran Mustafi being linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium, Kroenke admits that there are "discussions" ongoing that could see players leave before the European deadline.

Kroenke told BBC Sport: "I would defer to our football operations staff, but I know there are a few names that have come up who might not see as much playing time this season, so whether that's via a loan or permanent transfer I know there are discussions going on. I'll leave that to our football operations staff.

"So, from a player's perspective, whether it's good or bad news I think the best thing you can do is be honest with the player because they've only got a limited window where they can be at their physical peak.

"I would say whatever we're doing we're going to be aggressive and we're going to be decisive, and we're going to communicate well and honestly through it all."

When asked if Arsenal will continue their spending in the next transfer window, Kroenke added: "That's hopefully a sign of encouragement for Arsenal fans that, when we're out in the market place, you might never know what we're thinking, and you could be surprised by some of the names that come up.

"As for January, I don't want to get ahead of ourselves. We've got to evaluate some things in the short term and figure out where we might need to address going forward, so when January does roll around, we're going to be proactive again."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1818 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1778 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE