Andrea Berta sets out priorities after Arsenal confirm capture of 'unique' sporting director

Edu's deputy Jason Ayto was appointed interim sporting director following the Brazilian's departure and was a serious contender for the position. However, Berta has now been confirmed in the role after weeks of speculation that his appointment was imminent.

The 53-year-old Italian is expected to be in attendance for Arsenal's Premier League meeting with Fulham on Tuesday evening.

"I am thrilled to be joining Arsenal in what is a hugely exciting period for the club," said Berta.

"The club has great values and a rich history, and I am looking forward to playing my part in shaping a successful future with a great team."

Berta arrives in north London with the reputation of being one of the shrewdest sporting directors in European football, having worked at Italian sides Parma and Genoa before joining Atletico Madrid, initially as their technical director, in 2013.

While at Atletico, he was instrumental in signing Rodri, Antoine Griezmann and Jan Oblak.

Arsenal co-chairman Josh Kroenke said: "Anyone who knows football knows Andrea is an impressive figure.

"He has vast knowledge of the game, a great track record, a strong network and an insatiable desire to build winning teams.

"We undertook a thorough recruitment process and we were hugely impressed with the level of all the other candidates, but it was Andrea's experience and the success he has enjoyed that stood out."

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague is clearly a fan, having highlighted Berta's achievements.

Balague told BBC Sport: "He's quite unique compared to other sporting directors.

"He had no playing career, started in banking, and only got into football later, first at Carpenedolo, an amateur club, then at Parma and Genoa, where he built key connections with Peter Kenyon and Jorge Mendes.

"Under his watch, Atletico won two La Liga titles (2013-14, 2020-21), a Copa del Rey (2013), a Europa League (2017-18), and a Uefa Super Cup (2018).

"He's seen as the architect of the squad rebuild after the 2014 title-winning team faded."

As well as the captures of Griezmann (twice), current Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and Oblak, Berta recently oversaw the addition of Julian Alvarez joined from Manchester City for 81.5m pounds and he has scored 23 goals for Atletico this season.

"He brought in key players like Griezmann (twice), Luis Suarez, Kieran Trippier, Llorente, De Paul, and Julian Alvarez," added Balague.

"But he also had some flops, like Joao Felix, Kalinic, Arias, Torreira, but he always worked within the club's financial limits.

"In total, he made 52 signings since 2017, spending around 828 million euros (692m pounds), leaving a big mark on Atletico's squad. An end of an era for them."

Berta will now begin preparations for the upcoming summer window, where the Gunners are expected to prioritise the addition of an elite striker and also a new defensive midfielder.

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