Stan Kroenke: Alexis and Ozil will stay

CAIRO – 27 October 2017: Arsenal is suffering in renewing the contracts of Alexis Sanchez, coming from FC Barcelona, and Mesut Ozil, coming from Real Madrid. The club’s board members are discussing the issue with Arsene Wenger, Arsenal`s coach.

"We want the best and they (Sanchez and Özil) are the best players. We are going to continue working to keep them in the club," said Stan Kroenke, the Gunners’ majority shareholder.

Lately, shareholders’ meetings have been about the continuity of the two players and defending the performance of the team headed by Arsene Wenger.

Although in the case of the Chilean as in the case of the German, who only a few days ago hinted at his agreement with Manchester United, his march is very likely. Kroenke delivered a speech to the contrary, pretending to believe that Arsenal is close to renewing them.


Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez - Reuters
"I would love to have them. I see them very well in the team and I think they are in the best club, with the best manager and in the best city," said the American businessman.

Kroenke owns 67 percent of Arsenal’s titles and maintains a difficult relationship with Alisher Usmanov, the second largest shareholder with 30 percent and who would claim to gain complete control of the club.

Kroenke, however, does not seem to consider a withdrawal from power. At 70 years, the owner of the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL and the Colorado Rapids of MLS, manages a fortune close to $7.5 billion.

Kroenke also intends to appoint Chips Keswick as the new president of Arsenal and his son, Josh Kroenke, as a manager of the club.

His intentions have already been answered by the association of Arsenal Supporters Trust, who will vote against all his proposals, and again show their displeasure with Wenger, whom the shareholder absolutely defended.

"It's easy to change coaches; people do it all the time, because the easy answer is to do such a thing," said Kroenke.