Arsenal looking to trim squad, says director Kroenke. Photo/TeamTalk
LONDON, United Kingdom, Aug 21 – Arsenal are actively seeking to reduce the size of their squad before the close of the European transfer window on 2 September, according to club director Josh Kroenke.
The Gunners made almost £140million worth of signings in transfer market, with the likes of Nicolas Pepe and Kieran Tierney coming in.
And, with Shkodran Mustafi being linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium, Kroenke admits that there are “discussions” ongoing that could see players leave before the European deadline.
Kroenke told BBC Sport: “I would defer to our football operations staff but I know there are a few names that have come up who might not see as much playing time this season, so whether that’s via loan or permanent transfer I know there are discussions going on. I’ll leave that to our football operations staff.
“So from a player’s perspective, whether it’s good or bad news I think the best thing you can do is be honest with the player because they’ve only got a limited window where they can be at their physical peak.
“I would say whatever we’re doing we’re going to be aggressive and we’re going to be decisive, and we’re going to communicate well and honestly through it all.”
When asked if Arsenal will continue their spending in the next transfer window, Kroenke added: “That’s hopefully a sign of encouragement for Arsenal fans that, when we’re out in the market place, you might never know what we’re thinking and you could be surprised by some of the names that come up.
“As for January, I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We’ve got to evaluate some things in the short term and figure out where we might need to address going forward, so when January does roll around we’re going to be proactive again.”
