Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta was inspired by a personal gesture from Josh Kroenke that set the tone for the club’s title-winning summer recruitment drive.

Kroenke laid out his championship rings from across the Kroenke Sports Entertainment portfolio during a dinner with Berta shortly after the sporting director joined the club.

Josh Kroenke explained that the rings were originally brought along for a separate reason, simply to show them to some friends who were present at the gathering.

“When he first joined, I was here, and I actually had dinner with some people. It’s not often I really ever do anything like this, but Andrea was there, and I had brought them for a separate reason just to show them to some friends.”

Kroenke used the moment to deliver a clear message to Berta about the expectations and ambitions that Kroenke Sports Entertainment holds across all of its clubs.

“I went into Andrea, and I laid out our championship rings. I said: ‘This is what we’re here for. So as we start to shape our thinking, know this is what we’re going for.'”

Berta, formerly of Atletico Madrid where he worked alongside Diego Simeone to win numerous trophies, was visibly taken by the display of silverware from the KSE network.

Kroenke reflected on how the recruitment philosophy developed from that moment, focusing on squad depth rather than targeting a single marquee player above all else.

“He was looking at them pretty closely! The thinking holistically was instead of one particular player, filling out the squad with quality depth. You have to tip your hat to Andrea and our entire sporting staff for that.”

Arsenal went on to sign eight new players across the summer window, committing close to £300million in total to reshape and strengthen the squad throughout its entirety.

Each of those additions contributed to the club’s eventual Premier League title success, with the entire squad required to function together across the demanding season.

Viktor Gyokeres emerged as one of the most important signings, with Berta believed to have been a key backer of the Swedish striker’s arrival despite other names being considered at the time.

Kroenke acknowledged that the demand from supporters for a striker had been impossible to ignore given the volume of discussion surrounding the position over the previous year.

“You had to be living under a rock to avoid the striker conversation with us for the last 12 months. I thought on the run-in last year, could Mikel Merino have done a better job? I don’t think so.”

The decision to pursue Gyokeres was shaped partly by an assessment of his mentality, his history of winning, and what he could bring to Arsenal’s dressing room culture.

“The conversations stemmed around looking at the history of who the player is and what he’s won. The mentality he might help bring to our group to get us across the finish line.”

Kroenke praised Gyokeres for his consistency and development throughout the campaign, highlighting the striker’s relentless work ethic as central to his impact.

“I think Viktor, to his credit, has kept working and working and working all season long. What you saw from him over the last few months unlocked a different level of player that really fits.”

Kroenke also took time to praise Berta’s experience and composure in adapting to the Premier League environment after his high-profile move from Atletico Madrid.

“Andrea has won things. He’s been around the business for many years. Coming into the Premier League was a new experience for him, but we’ve had some good moments too.”

Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for a league title, with Berta delivering a Champions League final appearance alongside the Premier League trophy in his very first season at the club.

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