Arsenal signings a show of club´s ´aura´, says ambitious Kroenke

Arsenal proved their “aura” still exists with aggressive transfer market moves that can help catapult the club back into title contention, according to director Josh Kroenke.

The Gunners have started a Premier League campaign with successive victories for the first time in a decade to sit level on six points with Liverpool.

Wins over Newcastle United and Burnley have built on the good feeling created by the close-season additions of Dani Ceballos, David Luiz, Kieran Tierney and Nicolas Pepe, the latter a club-record signing from Lille.

Kroenke, son of Arsenal owner Stan, said the expenditure of more than £100million stemmed from the humiliating 4-1 loss to Chelsea in the Europa League final in May, a result that led to a “rethink” at board level.

“We addressed certain areas on the pitch for this season and in the years ahead,” the American told the BBC.

“We had certain age profiles that we were after.

“Without Champions League football we weren’t exactly sure, but I encouraged our football operations department to be aggressive and when Arsenal Football Club knocks on a player’s door it’s a different knock.

“This summer, even though we weren’t in a position of strength coming out of Baku, I think there were a few people caught off guard that Arsenal Football Club still has the aura that it does.

“We’re excited to keep pushing that now and into the future.”

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— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 18, 2019

Kroenke said Arsenal would now conduct fresh evaluations with a view to again being “proactive” when the transfer window reopens in January.

The end result, he hopes, will be a team capable of winning trophies on all fronts.

“Challenging for the Premier League title is always our goal, that’s what we talk about constantly,” Kroenke said.

“Based on the strength of our l
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eague, which is the greatest in the world, if you’re competing for the Premier League title, you’re competing elsewhere for other silverware as well; whether that’s the FA Cup, whether that’s European silverware.

“We want to go for it all.”