Incoming Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is expected to arrive in the UK before Monday, with hope that he’ll be in attendance for Tuesday’s game against Fulham.
Sami Mokbel and Gary Rose report for the BBC that former Atletico Madrid man Andrea Berta is expected to arrive in the UK before Monday as Arsenal prepare to announce his appointment as their new sporting director.
The report adds that there’s hope Berta will even be present for Arsenal’s Premier League game against Fulham on Tuesday.
The Gunners intend to appoint Berta to replace Edu Gaspar, who left Arsenal late last year. Gaspar is reportedly taking up a role working with the group of teams controlled by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, with Marinakis previously confirming that’s the plan.
Berta was one of a number of names under consideration at Arsenal, including Real Sociedad’s Roberto Olabe and former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth.
There was also consideration given to the possibility of promoting interim sporting director Jason Ayto to the job full-time, but the club ultimately opted to bring in someone new.
Berta left Atletico in January, after a 12-year spell with the club, so talks were eased by the fact Arsenal didn’t have to negotiate a release with the director’s old club.
Berta has work to do at Arsenal, both on the contract front and in terms of summer incomings. The Gunners can’t waste time in either case, with key players entering the final two years of their contracts this summer and a clear need for additions in a few key positions.