Mikel Arteta welcomes Josh Kroenke’s presence at Arsenal training ahead of their Champions League clash with PSV, highlighting his deep involvement in the club’s journey.
Mikel Arteta has welcomed Josh Kroenke’s presence at Arsenal’s training sessions ahead of their Champions League last-16 first-leg clash against PSV Eindhoven, describing the owner’s involvement as a positive influence on the squad.
With Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes all but gone, the Champions League presents the club’s best opportunity for silverware this season.
Josh Kroenke, son of majority owner Stan Kroenke, has been in attendance as Arteta’s squad prepares for the fixture, and the manager was pleased to have him around.
“No, because he had to go, but yes, very happy to have him around,” Arteta said when asked whether he had spoken to Kroenke during training. “He’s around a lot of times for big moments as well. He’s the one that really wants to be with the team.
“It’s great to have him, he’s been around today and hopefully in the next few days as well.”
As Arsenal prepare to return to Champions League knockout football, Arteta acknowledged that this phase of the competition brings a different level of intensity, one that ownership recognises.
“Regardless of what situation you are in the league, when you start to come to this stage of the Champions League, it’s something else,” he said.
“You feel it in the atmosphere, in the energy of the place, it’s something else because it’s a competition you don’t play in weekly and you play in the moment where you’re in or out, and that gives you urgency and it gets the best out of you for sure.”