Josh Kroenke Says Covid-19 Silence Helped Mikel Arteta Rebuild Arsenal
Arsenal co‑chair Josh Kroenke believes the period of matches played behind closed doors during the Covid‑19 pandemic gave manager Mikel Arteta the breathing room he needed to reshape the club and awaken what he called a “sleeping giant.”
The Kroenke Sports and Entertainment group completed its full takeover of Arsenal in 2018, but the early years of their ownership were marked by fan unrest and questions about the club’s direction.
A year later, the club appointed former Arsenal midfielder Arteta as head coach, giving him his first senior managerial role after Unai Emery’s departure.
Results were modest at first; Arsenal finished eighth in the Premier League in consecutive seasons, although Arteta guided the side to FA Cup glory in 2020.
Since then, the Spaniard has transformed the squad and delivered Arsenal’s first Premier League title in 22 years after six and a half seasons in charge.
Kroenke praised Arteta’s personality and belief, saying anyone who spends time with him can easily buy into his vision.
He also reflected on the unusual conditions created by the pandemic, noting that the absence of supporters inside stadiums eased pressure on the team during a critical rebuilding phase.
“There was something about Mikel having a little bit of what I would call ‘space’ during Covid when there weren’t fans around,” Kroenke said. “Looking back, we can say that maybe that was a little bit of a benefit.”
Kroenke admitted the club went through a turbulent period after the departure of long‑serving manager Arsène Wenger and former chief executive Ivan Gazidis, describing it as a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes.
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