Arsenal’s transfer setup is getting more complicated with a number of new appointments over the last year.

All change

It might have taken longer than we expected but Ivan Gazidis’s ‘catalyst for change’ has finally sparked into life.

After over 20 years, Steve Rowley stepped down from his role for Sven Mislintat.

Raul Sanllehi joined as head of football relations, and Huss Fahmy replaced Dick Law as chief contract negotiator.

And, of course, Arsene Wenger will leave at the end of the season in the biggest change of all.

So, with more people at the club now responsible for transfers rather than Arsene Wenger on his own, how do they all fit together and who does what?

Next, Scouting, Negotiations and Sign-off

Scouting – Mislintat and Cagigao

Contrary to what you might read on Twitter, Sven Mislintat isn’t going out and signing players on his own without the club’s permission.

In fact, he’s not signing players at all.

The German is known as ‘head of player recruitment’, but that means he’s in charge of the scouting network.

He co-ordinates Arsenal’s scouts, and presents their findings to the management as recommendations.

It’s up to the Gunners’ boss to take things from there.

If he trusts Mislintat’s judgement, then he’ll probably end up trying to bring in the players the 45-year-old suggests.

That’s what we’ve seen with Konstantinos Mavropanos, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang so far.

Mislintat will work on his role alongside Francis Cagigao, who is currently the head of international recruitment at the club.

Cagigao reportedly played an important part in signing Fabregas, Bellerin and Cazorla, among others.

Next, Negotiations and Sign-off

Negotiations – Gazidis, Sanllehi and Fahmy

Raul Sanllehi started his role at Arsenal in February,  shadowing Dick Law before taking over officially.

From February, he’s been in charge of transfer negotiations, alongside Wenger, Ivan Gazidis and Huss Fahmy.

The Spaniard’s job title is ‘head of football relations’, otherwise known as ‘Director of Football but we don’t want to upset Wenger by calling him that’.

Once the manager decides on a target, Sanllehi and Gazidis will be in charge of negotiating a deal.

Then Fahmy will take over to finalise the details and small print.

Fahmy started last summer, and he’s the club’s new contract negotiator.

He’s a legal expert, and, along with Sanllehi has taken over the duties Dick Law used to perform.

His job centres around closing negotiations and getting contracts signed.

Next, Sign-off

Sign off – Manager, Gazidis and Kroenke

Once Gazidis, Sanllehi and Fahmy have done their job to negotiate a deal, it’s up to the manager whether it goes through.

It’s always possible they work on one transfer only for another area of the pitch to become more important. Wenger, therefore, has had the final say on whether Arsenal sign someone until this point and it’s hard to see that changing under a new manager.

After the manager gives the all clear, it’s up to Gazidis and majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, to sanction a release of funds.

Given Gazidis’ involvement earlier in the process, his agreement shouldn’t be a problem.

Considering Kroenke’s lack of involvement in the club on the pitch, I doubt he’ll raise any objections either.

They both sign off, and Arsenal get the player.

Simple as that.

Or at least, it should be…