Former Chelsea recruitment chief and ex-Watford Head of Academy Recruitment Danny Dolan is joining Arsenal, as the Gunners’ academy shake-up continues.
On Saturday night, former Chelsea staffer Danny Dolan shared the news that he’s joining Arsenal.
“Delighted to be joining Arsenal,” Dolan wrote on social media. “An exciting time for everyone at the club, and great to be [a part] of it. Looking forward to the challenge.”
Dolan had most recently spent six years working for Chelsea as their Southern UK Regional Coordinator, managing Chelsea’s scouts in the south of the United Kingdom.
Before that, he’d worked as Watford’s Head of Academy Recruitment for five years, and as an academy coach for the same club for a few years prior to that promotion.
Dolan announced his departure from Chelsea in late 2025, sending “sincere thanks [to] the staff, past and present, who made my time here so fulfilling”.
The scouting and recruitment professional added that he was sending his “best wishes to all players and staff for the future”, adding: “I look forward to the next chapter in my own professional journey.”
It seems Dolan is now embarking on that next step with Arsenal.
The Gunners have confirmed some major changes to the academy in recent months, with Academy Manager Per Mertesacker to leave the club at the end of the season, and James Ellis also departing, having played a key role in Arsenal’s recent academy recruitment process.
Dolan appears to be one of the new additions as part of Arsenal’s shake-up behind the scenes, with links to another ex-Chelsea man Jim Fraser in recent weeks.
Arsenal will presumably make all the changes official in due course, with no rush while Mertesacker is still in his role until summer.