Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke set to back Arsene Wenger with £55m transfer budget

Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is set to back Arsene Wenger at a board meeting on Thursday, by offering him a £55 million summer transfer budget.

Following the Gunners' recent exit from the FA Cup and their likely elimination from the Champions Leauge, Wenger is set to be boosted by a £55m kitty for the summer transfer window, funded by the club's half-yearly profits that are due to be announced over the coming days

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Arsenal currently sit fourth in the Premier League, only ahead of London rivals Chelsea by virtue of goal difference. 

Wenger recently described not qualifying for the Champions League as a ‘disaster’, as the club would miss out on a reported £45m.

While Kroenke looks set to reaffirm his belief in Wenger, another man he seems desperate to keep at the Emirates Stadium is Robin van Persie.

The Dutchman’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2013 and Kroenke seems determined to persuade him to stay, with a deal potentially amounting to over £100,000-per-week thought to be on offer.

Other names said to be on the list of potential new deals include Theo Walcott, Tomas Rosicky and possibly Andrei Arshavin, who has reportedly attracted interest from Anzhi Makhachkala in recent months.