Andrea Berta masterclass to secure Arsenal incredible Napoli talent-spotter; talks already underway | OneFootball

Arsenal are reportedly in talks to add Napoli’s head of scouting Maurizio Micheli to their recruitment team, in what would be a real coup from Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta.

Micheli has earned a reputation for being a top talent-spotter during his time working in Italian football. Indeed, the 57-year-old is credited with discovering the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Marek Hamisk.

Having appointed Berta earlier this year following Edu’s exit, Arsenal have been looking to make further additions to their recruitment setup at Emirates Stadium.

Another name considered was former Juventus head of scouting Matteo Tognozzi, who was looked at over the course of the summer after Gunners assistant sporting director moved on.

However, it’s Micheli who now looks primed to move to north London and be part of the Arsenal recruitment team going forward, with talks already taking place to secure his signature.

The Italian is currently into his second spell at Napoli after first working there from 2010 to 2015. He also had stints at Hellas Verona and Bologna, before returning to Napoli in 2018 as their head of scouting.

Micheli had spells with Udinese and Brescia before he first went to work for Napoli, spotting Hamsik playing for Slovan Bratislava while at the latter.

The 38-year-old Napoli legend went on to make 520 appearances for the club in all competitions and had high praise for Micheli.

“I am in touch with Maurizio Micheli, Napoli’s chief scout. I owe him a lot,” Hamsik told Italian newspaper Il Corriere dello Sport in 2022.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s recruitment department continues to go through a period of change since Edu’s surprise exit in November 2024. As well as Berta coming in, James Ellis was promoted from head of recruitment to technical director last summer.

It now appears that Micheli will become the newest recruit in what is perfect timing ahead of the January transfer window – assuming what period of notice the Italian has to work in Naples.

First up, Arsenal have made a firm decision on selling Martin Odegaard amid speculation that Barcelona are keen on the former Real Madrid playmaker, according to a transfer journalist, as TEAMtalk also explains why a transfer is highly implausible.

Elsewhere, Arsenal are determined to stop Nico Paz from joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2026 and are trying to convince him to move to Emirates Stadium instead, according to a report, but another source has revealed that the Como playmaker’s decision has already been made.

And finally, Manchester City are planning to raid Arsenal for Ben White, according to a transfer journalist, who has revealed the defender’s stance on leaving The Emirates Stadium and why the Cityzens are keen on him.