Arsenal reach agreement to appoint new sporting director – reports | OneFootball

Arsenal have reached an agreement to appoint former Atletico Madrid director Andrea Berta as their new sporting director, according to reports.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reports that the Gunners have lined up Berta as the replacement for Edu, who departed the club earlier this season.

Berta left Atletico Madrid in January and was among a number of candidates being considered, Ornstein reports, with contracts said to be being finalised.

Jason Ayto had stepped in to the sporting director role on an interim basis following Edu’s decision to leave for a role with the group of clubs owned by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Berta spent 12 years at Atletico Madrid, overseeing transfer business which has seen the club regularly compete with giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

They have won two league titles during that time, as well as the Europa League and twice finishing as runners-up in the Champions League under manager Diego Simeone.

He was promoted to the role of sporting director in 2017 having previously been technical director.

Berta also previously worked at Italian clubs Parma and Genoa.

He has overseen the signings of several big-money players at Atletico including Joao Felix, Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez, and Conor Gallagher.

Speaking last month about Arsenal’s search for a new sporting director, manager Mikel Arteta said: “The decision I think will be done relatively quickly, whether it’s Jason or somebody else I don’t know but I think that decision will be done quite early.

“We have the sporting director which is Jason, it’s clear and he’s been since the departure of Edu from day one he has been given full responsibility, all our support from that aspect and what the club wants to do after that is not on me.”

Arsenal’s next game is against Manchester United, with the Gunners travelling to Old Trafford looking to back up their 7-1 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday.