Arsenal’s value as an investment prospect is soaring and that is in large part thanks to Declan Rice and Kai Havertz.
Rice, 25, and Havertz, 24, arrived at the Emirates for fees of £100m and £65m respectively. And the pair were among the Gunners’ standout performers in 2023-24, when they narrowly missed out on the title.
And their impact was not just limited to the pitch. A recent study has found that Rice and Havertz have contributed directly to a surge in Arsenal‘s enterprise value.
Arsenal’s value rising quicker than nearly any other club
According to the latest report released by industry experts Football Benchmark, Arsenal are now valued at a whopping £2.6billion.
That makes them the tenth-most valuable club in world football. Significantly, their value has risen faster than every other club besides AC Milan over the last 12 months.
Their enterprise value was £1.924billion this time last year, meaning it has rocketed by £676m. That’s an increase of 35.1 per cent.
Interestingly, Football Benchmark say this is due mainly to the increased value and depth of talent in Arsenal’s playing squad.
And with Rice and Havertz being the most significant additions last summer, they can lay claim to having a real impact on this surge in value.
The other major factor was the club’s return to the Champions League after a six-year absence.
When Stan Kroenke will sell Arsenal
With the club’s value climbing, it begs the question, when will owner Stan Kroenke want a return on his investment in Arsenal?
He is not likely to be planning an exit strategy any time soon. His son, Josh Kroenke, is taking a more hands-on role in the club and has insisted his father is not considering selling up in the near future.
The last thing resembling a takeover attempt was when Swedish billionaire and streaming mogul Daniel Ek announced that he was launching a campaign to buy the club.
That was never really a serious proposition and the deal failed to get out of the discussion stage.
However, Kroenke is an investor. He is not in football for the passion. At some point, he will want to see a profit on the £700m-plus he invested in the club over a decade ago.
