AFL club Port Adelaide will be well-compensated for fitness guru Darren Burgess.
- Arsenal are expected to pay excellent compensation
- Burgess to split responsibilities between Arsenal and Port Adelaide
- Arsenal and Port Adelaide will enter a partnership
According to Fox Sports, Arsene Wenger has reportedly head-hunted Burgess to become Arsenal’s new director of high performance.
AFL club Port Adelaide, who confirmed the news yesterday, will receive a number of benefits in exchange for losing Burgess. Arsenal are expected to pay handsome compensation for him, as well as allow him to continue his duties in Australia for the next few months.
Although Burgess is set to officially start at Arsenal in July, he will still carry out a number of responsibilities with Port Adelaide, including seeing out the remainder of the AFL season and returning in October to devise a pre-season programme.
In addition, Arsenal and Port Adelaide will begin a partnership, wherein Arsenal will share insights into sport science and professional development.
Speaking about this, Port Adelaide’s Chief Executive said: “As such, Arsenal have indicated their desire to be part of a new collaborative partnership with Port Adelaide in a range of areas including sports science, professional development and international growth.
“That brings some amazing opportunities with it and we look forward to putting that arrangement in place as soon as we can.”
Burgess’ previous role in football was with Liverpool, and has said that the opportunity to work with Arsenal was one he couldn’t refuse.