The Independent: Kroenke originally wanted Arsenal to sign Sheshko this summer, but was persuaded by Berta

Hupu, November 22 News Before this week’s upcoming North London Derby, Miguel Delaney, editor-in-chief of the English media "The Independent", wrote a column to reveal the inside story of Arsenal's signings this summer and the relationship between director Berta and Kroenke.

The following is the content of the column

What is special about Arsenal is a certain circularity. When meritorious coach Arsene Wenger left in 2018, sources said there were plans to put Josh Kroenke in charge more directly. But at that time, Arsenal was in a period of confusion and was ridiculed by competitors as weak and outdated.

What's even worse is the outside perception of the owner's absence, with senior management complaining that they can't understand Stan Kroenke's ideas. The arrival of Lewis in 2020 changed everything. The Gunners fan since childhood and a long-time ally of Kroenke rebuilt bridges and began to implement his vision of revival. With Arteta already in charge, Lewis fully supports the coach and at the same time formulates a multi-year strategy on behalf of the Kroenke family to push Arsenal back to the top.

His core idea is to establish a "football leadership team" - essentially a football board of directors that includes weekly meetings with core members such as the chairman, coach, sports director and medical director. According to numerous internal and external sources, this feels like the first time in decades that Arsenal has a clear direction and a high-standard atmosphere that has completely transformed the club.

As performance improves, re-increasing commercial income begins to approach Liverpool.

Arteta has a close relationship with Lewis, a bond that has been cemented by his increasingly close collaboration with new sporting director Andrea Berta. The latter's Xia Chuang trading also reflected Lewis's precise grasp of the boss's intentions. An internal executive said that Berta was the only person who could convince Stan Kroenke to approve the signing, and always came with a detailed plan to demonstrate the need for a transfer to the boss.

The signing of Eze from Crystal Palace is symbolic, not only because Arsenal intercepted Tottenham. The club is aware that the pressure to win is increasing, which is why there was concern when Havertz was injured. Lewis was able to convince the ownership group that an Eze deal must be initiated.

But at this time, cracks were beginning to appear. Josh Kroenke was previously proposed to work under Lewis, but gave up due to his responsibility for the Denver Nuggets. With the rise of Arsenal, Kroenke has become increasingly active.

Kroenke, who was not involved in Berta's appointment, insisted on choosing Sheshko instead of Dzekeresh, according to sources, but was successfully persuaded by director Berta. Beyond that, his appearance at the PFA Awards was seen as a clear signal, and he later personally pushed for the signing of Incapie from Bayer Leverkusen.

Lewis' sudden departure a few weeks later left the football world bewildered. Even those with whom he has strained relations admit that the former lawyer has been instrumental in Arsenal's resurgence. As well as Arteta's transformative influence, many attribute the cultural shift at the club to Lewis' approach and charisma, a unifying structure that continues today.

Although Arsenal officially states that the board changes only reflect the desire for "continuous evolution," it is difficult to believe that there is no tension. Multiple sources said that "Josh obviously wants to be the master of the family," which is bound to conflict with the fact that Lewis is regarded internally as the actual helmsman.

Eze's signing may determine the direction of this derby and also heralds Levi's departure. The setback is the latest in a series of transfer mishaps at Spurs, with the ownership group keeping a close eye on the club's progress. The club wanted to take things to the next level, but it felt like Levy had settled into a pattern over 25 years.

It should be acknowledged that these models have laid a higher starting point for the children of the Lewis family. Although Levy has caused a lot of controversy, the fact that he has gradually built Tottenham from a mid-table mess into a Champions League final team with a world-class stadium is difficult to argue with.

The problem is at the micro level rather than the macro level, and the hesitance to make pure football decisions at critical moments. People who have negotiated with Levy also feel that he is too involved in transfers and follows "trends" in signings.