Arsenal’s seek for a brand new sporting director seems to be reaching its closing phases, with former Atletico Madrid govt Andrea Berta rising because the frontrunner for the position.
The Gunners have been with no everlasting sporting director since Edu Gaspar’s sudden departure earlier this season, a loss that has considerably impacted the membership’s management construction.
Edu performed an important position in Arsenal’s resurgence below Mikel Arteta, forging a robust partnership with the Spanish supervisor and securing key signings comparable to Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. His absence was notably felt through the January switch window, when Arsenal did not safe reinforcements regardless of Arteta’s pressing want for a brand new attacker amid an damage disaster.
Whereas Jayson Ayto has been serving because the membership’s interim sporting director, Arsenal have been actively pursuing a everlasting substitute. Final week, Arsenal skilled Charles Watts reported {that a} determination was ‘pretty imminent’, and now, talking completely to CaughtOffside in his Each day Briefing column, Watts has offered a recent replace.
Andrea Berta on high of the checklist for Arsenal
In keeping with Watts, Berta has emerged as the highest candidate for the position, although an official supply has but to be made.
Arsenal, nonetheless, are eager to finalise the appointment as quickly as attainable, recognising the essential position the sporting director will play in shaping the squad forward of an necessary summer season switch window.
Watts mentioned:
“We’re nonetheless ready for affirmation on who Arsenal’s subsequent sporting director will probably be, however because it stands Andrea Berta is known to be on the high of the checklist of the remaining candidates.”
“My understanding is that an official supply has but to be made to Berta, or anybody else, however Arsenal do need their most well-liked selection in place imminently with the membership nicely conscious of how necessary the upcoming summer season window is.”
“In the meanwhile all indicators level to Edu’s substitute being the 53-year-old Italian, however till an appointment is made it’s unattainable to say with whole certainty who it will likely be.”
Berta, a 53-year-old Italian, has a robust observe report in soccer administration, having performed a key position in Atletico Madrid’s success through the years.
Watts believes his expertise in dealing with high-profile transfers and dealing alongside a demanding supervisor like Diego Simeone might make him an appropriate match for Arsenal’s construction below Arteta. He continued:
“Berta does appear to be a great choice for Arsenal, nonetheless. He does tick quite a lot of bins when it comes to what the membership wants proper now. He’s very skilled and he’s carried out an excellent job throughout his time at Atletico.”
“Berta’s observe report in terms of transfers is fairly robust. Sure, there have been some offers that haven’t fairly labored out however that’s all the time going to occur. So long as you get extra hits than misses available in the market then your report will stack up nicely and his report does precisely that.”
“He’s carried out plenty of massive cash offers and has labored with high golf equipment the world over, so his contact checklist will probably be robust. He may have the respect of everybody he seems to be to cope with and that is essential.”
Why Andrea Berta could be the correct match for Arsenal
Watts additionally emphasised how Berta’s expertise in working with Simeone might assist him handle the calls for of Arteta, who equally has a really particular taking part in philosophy and a meticulous strategy to squad-building.
He added:
“Berta has additionally had the expertise of working alongside a massively demanding supervisor in Diego Simeone.”
“It will possibly’t be simple for anybody to work alongside somebody like Simeone, however Berta seems to have dealt with it expertly and may he get that Arsenal job, that bodes nicely for his potential relationship with Mike Arteta.”
“Like Simeone, Arteta has a really particular means of taking part in and gamers recognized by a sporting director want to have the ability to cope with that. He’s additionally identified to be a demanding character.”
“So the membership’s sporting director must have a robust persona. He must be somebody who can preserve a great relationship with Arteta, but additionally has to have the ability to stand as much as him and problem when wanted.”
Mikel Arteta’s focus stays on season’s closing stretch
With the seek for Edu’s substitute seemingly nearing its conclusion, all indicators level towards Berta being the person for the job. Nonetheless, till an official appointment is confirmed, hypothesis will proceed.
Within the meantime, Arteta stays centered on the season’s closing stretch, as Arsenal proceed to push Liverpool within the Premier League title race regardless of the current setbacks, whereas additionally eyeing a deep run within the Champions League. With a commanding 7-1 victory over PSV within the first leg of their Spherical of 16 tie, the Gunners have already got one foot within the quarter-finals, maintaining their hopes of European glory alive.
Because the summer season switch window looms, Arsenal will probably be desirous to have a brand new sporting director in place to make sure they’re totally ready for what guarantees to be one other pivotal interval for the membership.
