Arsenal director Josh Kroenke is known to frequently attend Arsenal games and the American reportedly shares messages with Declan Rice with the duo bonding over interests outside of football
Arsenal Director Josh Kroenke chats to Declan Rice of Arsenal
Arsenal Director Josh Kroenke and Declan Rice share a love of golf(Image: 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Plc)
The relationship between the owner of a football club and their players is usually one that remains at a distance. Yet Arsenal Director Josh Kroenke has a special bond with Gunners star Declan Rice due to their shared passion for golf.
Josh, 45, is the son of Stan Kroenke, who's Kroenke Sports and Entertainment group (KSE) became sole operators of Arsenal in August 2018.
Josh can now be seen frequenting Arsenal games, and while the American isn’t close with members of the Arsenal squad, Rice and Josh will often exchange private messages due to their love of hitting the fairway. However, as per The Athletic, players don't usually receive messages from Josh, making his texts to Rice something of an anomaly.
However, Josh is believed to have made an exception in 2022. After the men’s World Cup qualifying campaign, he sent a message to all of the Arsenal players who had qualified for the competition.
Having been co-owners since 2007, Stan later bought Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov’s 30% shareholding for over £600m, ending a long saga for ultimate control of Arsenal. That took the Kroenke's total stake to 97%.
It hasn't always been plain sailing for KSE. Long before Josh would exchange messages with Rice and keep up appearances at games, the Gunners' hierarchy were under fire for a perceived lack of ambition.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (right) speaks with Arsenal chairman Josh Kroenke
Josh Kroenke often attends games(Image: PA)
Stan, 78, does not often frequent the Emirates. So, after 16 supporter groups signed a letter and launched a petition urging the ownership to demonstrate more commitment and leadership in 2019, it was Kroenke Jr who spoke out.
Josh addressed supporters directly, altering the course that Arsenal would take over the next five years. "Is it hard to take? Absolutely," Josh said of the letter.
"But I’m not in this business to make friends, I’m in it to win. If anyone is ever going to question anything about our ownership - which I view as a custodianship, the supporters trust us to be a custodian of the values — that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to win whilst also respecting the values and traditions of the club.
Arsenal Director Josh Kroenke (L) Declan Rice and (2ndL) Jurrien Timber during a training session
Josh Kroenke has expressed an interest in first team affairs in recent years
“I’ve sat down with supporters’ groups. I’ve not been afraid to sit down to have tough conversations with people because I’m transparent, we’re transparent, we don’t have anything to hide. We all want the same thing and we’re all trying aggressively to make it happen."
The Kroenke's did make it happen, with Rice becoming a major symbol of their shift in strategy. Acquiring the midfielder from West Ham in 2023 felt like a major turning point for Arsenal’s owners, with the club beating several teams to the £105m man's signature.
They haven't looked back since. The Kroenke's have just authorised another summer of huge spending as they look to back Mikel Arteta to finally clinch the Premier League title after three consecutive second-placed finishes.
Marquee names such as Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi have been brought on board this summer. There was also a blockbuster deal worth up to £67.5m to bring Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace, with Josh himself playing a decisive role in bringing Eze to north London as the club now look to finally win the Premier League under their American owners.