Stan Kroenke blasted for Arsenal plans as Paul Merson tells owner to focus on two transfers
Paul Merson has blasted Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke for his ambitious plans to revamp the Emirates Stadium, telling the American to instead focus on bringing two new players in.
Kroenke has had a troublesome relationship with Arsenal fans in recent years and the tension was heightened amid the club’s involvement in the failed European Super League. Thousands of fans gathered outside the stadium in April 2021 with banners stating ‘Kroenke out’.
The billionaire remains owner, despite the anger among supporters, and now wants to refurbish the Emirates over the summer.
According to The Telegraph, the investment will cost millions of pounds. It will take place at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, with fan groups being told the news by chief executive Vinai Venkatesham.
But former Gunners midfielder Merson reckons money should be spent on Mikel Arteta’s squad instead. And he has two signings from the Premier League in mind.
“Arsenal will never be kings of England winning multiple titles again while Stan Kroenke is busy wasting money refurbishing the Emirates,” Merson wrote in his column for the Daily Star.
“I still think they’re only one top class striker away from being contenders – but they’ll never stick around at the top long while Kroenke has his eyes elsewhere.
Stadium plans are a ‘waste’ – Paul Merson
“Go and sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Go and get James Ward-Prowse for the midfield. Don’t spend it on the stadium. What a waste. Seriously.”
Kroenke also owns NFL side the LA Rams, who won the Super Bowl last week. Merson thinks that is where the businessman’s priorities lie, rather than at Arsenal.
“We’ve just seen what Kroenke’s done with the LA Rams, building a team to win now – and winning the Super Bowl.
“Compare that to what he’s doing at Arsenal. It just shows you what his intentions are for Arsenal – he doesn’t have any!
“If he wanted to do something big at Arsenal he’d have done it already. Refurbishing the stadium? It’s like having a nice house and doing it up so it doesn’t lose it’s value.”
The pundit continued: “Spend your money on players. Calvert-Lewin would make them contenders again. But if you really want to go for it, why stop there?
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“They need a really good midfield player. Someone who can spray the ball around. They have all that talent on the wings and nobody switching it to them.
“Martin Odegaard plays one-twos. He’s a tippy-tappy type. Nice and neat. He’s not going to hit 40-yard diagonal balls. That’s one thing they haven’t got.
“They have a good XI. Good young talent improving every day. They just need a little bit more quality and they will be really competitive.
“But I don’t think the people in charge understand how football works. I don’t think they have ever been comfortable having to pay a big fee for a player.”
READ MORE: Arsenal ‘angry’ at failed January transfer but key summer deal still on – Paper Talk
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