Arteta praises Kroenkes after talks about Arsenal's top four dreams

It turns out this is one of the less significant conversations of Mikel Arteta’s week.

The Arsenal manager pauses to chat near the edge of a lagoon which runs through the surreal sprawl of Universal Studios. His more pressing engagements have been behind closed doors.

Over recent days, Arteta has been finalising the signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko. Technical director Edu arrived in Orlando as they plan more comings and goings. Stan and Josh Kroenke were in town briefly, too.

The owners have invested heavily to right the wrongs of last season, when Arsenal threw away Champions League football. And they met the manager at a crucial juncture in his tenure.

‘I’ve been really impressed,’ Arteta says. ‘They were here for two days, we had a lot time to sit down in a really relaxed way: talk about football, the sport in general.

‘The vision they have, the commitment and level of understanding of the sport in general is fascinating.

‘I can tell you: I have never seen ownership at that level so committed, close and engaged to bring this club where we want.’

It is a bold claim when you consider that Arteta has been at some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

And when you flick through recent history. It is, after all, little more than a year since simmering unrest at the ownership boiled over into furious protest and thousands of supporters gathered outside the Emirates to demand regime change.

The club’s doomed attempt to join the European Super League was merely the spark that turned the skies red with smoke in north London.

‘I think before, we could have a perception of what they were,’ Arteta says.

‘I think it’s completely changed, I think that’s been shown with facts and acts. Their presence here as well. Something is to be here and