Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke net worth could rocket as impact of huge deal felt after £629m purchase

Arsenal’s billionaire owner Stan Kroenke has flexed his financial muscle to become the largest private landowner in the United States of America

Arsenal are riding high at the top of the Premier League table – and Stan Kroenke has now become the largest private landowner in the US. The Land Report’s annual list of the top 100 US landowners places Kroenke at the top following his acquisition of almost 1million acres of New Mexico last month.

Kroenke continues to flex his financial muscle and now owns 2.7m acres across the US. That includes the Hollywood Park development in Inglewood, California, which contains the $5.5bn SoFi Stadium, the most expensive sports arena ever built.

Kroenke’s net worth is tied to several sports franchises, including Arsenal and the LA Rams, and he is also married to Walmart heiress Ann Walton Kroenke. His purchase of the 937,000-acre Singleton Ranches in New Mexico last month was the biggest US land transaction by area in more than a decade.

Kroenke made headlines for another massive purchase in 2016 when he acquired the Waggoner Ranch, which had not changed hands since 1849. The 535,000-acre site is the largest in Texas and cost the Arsenal chief £629m.

Kroenke is estimated to be worth $21.3bn (£15.8bn), but that could rocket in the future due to the amount of land he now owns and if he one day decides to start cashing in on it.

His investment in Arsenal has also paid off, with the club, according to City AM, now considered to be worth roughly double the £1.8bn valuation at which he took full control in 2018 – and rising.

The Gunners currently sit six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table. Arsenal also edged a thrilling Carabao Cup semi-final first leg 3-2 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Mikel Arteta’s side had looked well set for the Wembley final in March after goals from Ben White and Viktor Gyokeres gave them a two-goal lead early in the second half.

But minutes after Alejandro Garnacho came off the bench, he quickly made it 2-1. But Martin Zubimendi scored a third for the Gunners, before Garnacho pounced from a corner to set up an intriguing return match in three weeks’ time.

Speaking after the game, Gunners boss Arteta said: "First of all, I have to praise the players for the performance in the game that we just played against a really good opponent.

"With so much quality on that pitch, we had the feeling at the end, after the 1-3 and the very dominant period that we had in that time, that we had two massive chances to score the fourth one.

"The result would have been very different, but in that moment, they had an action, they created a corner, they scored a goal and it's game on. So that feeling is not perfect, but as well we have to value what the team has done again."

Before Arteta continued: "Really good, because it's a really tough place to come.

"They are top side and when you watch them live as well, the quality that they have, how they open you up in a second with the quality that they have, it's impressive. So that's why I really value what the team has done again."