Arsenal have reportedly hired key Candy Crush man, Mikhail Zhilkin, to work as a data scientist as the club looks to reduce their injury problems.

The graduate from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, oversaw the launch of two of Candy Crush’s two most successful games.

Arriving at the club to fulfil the role of ‘data scientist’, Zhilkin has no experience in the football industry but will focus on gathering and analysing injury and physical data to help the coaching staff.

Zhilkin will be tasked with creating a bespoke programme for each player after the new regime identified injuries as a key issue at the club, something that was repeatedly denied under Arsene Wenger’s management team despite consistent problems.

Said to speak excellent English and to have a ‘dry sense of humour’, Zhilkin obtained his Masters of Science in Applied Physics and Mathematics in 2006.

He was appointed as senior data scientist and technical lead for King.com, the company that produced Candy Crush, at the start of 2013. Zhilkin was in charge of the launches of Candy Crush Soda and Candy Crush Jelly.