Following the Super League debacle, club owners were forced to apologise to their fans for their behaviour and decision making, grovelling to make sure no big protests kicked off.
Some succeeded more than others, but Arsenal then found themselves faced with a buyer being interested in purchasing the club from the Kroenke family.
Led by Spotify owner Daniel Ek, the group, which included Gunners legends Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, made a first bid of nearly €2bn.
That was rejected by the current owners, but it was made clear they would come back for more and their intent was to prise the club from the Kroenkes and give it back its lost DNA.
For the first time, Bergkamp sat down to discuss the idea and why he joined onto the project, in an interview with VI.
He said: “After I left the club I always kept in touch with Thierry and Patrick. And of course I continued to watch the games. I played an important part of my career there, I have had a testimonial there. The club is in my heart, I have become a fan of players. Just like Patrick and Thierry, I recognise the Arsenal from our own time less and less.
“The ambition to win top prizes is in Arsenal’s DNA. Never accepting to lose. That mentality has slowly disappeared. I sense resignation about the current situation. That is serious. As if, given the financial situation, it is normal for Arsenal to end mid-table. That does not belong to this club. Arsenal’s DNA must be restored”.
Revealing it all came about in a Zoom meeting between Ek, Henry, himself and Vieira, the former Arsenal player made it clear how serious the Spotify owner was and it was just like ‘buying a nice toy’ for him.
For the Dutchman, ‘an acquisition is crucial’ in order to change the club’s DNA back with an owner ‘who understands that a football club should be run like a company’.
While he isn’t ‘looking for a revolution’, the desire to alter things is there, but that won’t happen unless the Kroenkes agree to hand over the club.
Bergkamp said: “We can’t force anyone to sell. I understand that, in addition to that offer, Daniel has now reached out twice to Josh Kroenke and his bankers. Whatever Kroenke’s intentions are, it would be good if we at least have a conversation with each other. In the interest of the club. Regardless, Daniel is not a quitter and neither are we football boys.
“We are here to stay. The crazy thing is that we cannot imagine how the current players feel. Because we have always played for the championship ourselves. We know how the fans feel. We have already had a meeting with a supporter delegation. We also sense more and more enthusiasm on their side. That is very stimulating”.
As for what his role would be should Ek’s takeover be complete, he was reluctant to specify anything other than it would make sense for the group of former players ‘to use the knowledge’ they gained ‘during and after their careers’.
