12 players with Premier League ties Andrea Berta signed – including one who rattled Arsenal

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Arsenal are hoping to recruit a sporting director by the end of the month with Andrea Berta leading the race.

After leaving Atletico Madrid in January, Berta became a top candidate at Arsenal as the search for Edu Gaspar’s replacement continues. 

Edu left Arsenal in November in what was a surprising shift at the top for the Gunners, leaving Mikel Arteta without his sidekick. 

Jason Ayto has stepped in to cover the gap left by the Brazilian but, it’s now understood that Berta is likely to beat the interim sporting director to the job. 

• READ MORE: Who is Andrea Berta? Everything you need to know about new Arsenal sporting director target

12 players associated with the Premier League that Andrea Berta signed

What will intrigue Arsenal fans is that Berta has signed an impressive array of strikers during his career, something the Gunners need more than anything. 

If the Italian were to arrive, there would be great expectations for the summer transfer window, with Stan Kroenke having the money to spend to replenish Arteta’s squad. 

Aside from strikers, the former Atletico Madrid sporting director purchased some of the world’s best talents during his stay in Spain, with several having links to the Premier League. 

The transfers above happened during Berta’s time at Atletico, both in a sporting director and technical director capacity.

Berta has been responsible for some record-breaking transfers in his time, including the purchase of Joao Felix from Benfica, who is now at Chelsea.

In terms of players signed directly from the Premier League, the Arsenal candidate poached Julian Alvarez, Diego Costa, Kieran Trippier, Matt Doherty and Conor Gallagher, with Alvarez and Gallagher currently shining in Diego Simeone’s side. 

It’s an impressive list of players who were signed by Berta either from the Premier League or went on to impress in the English top flight, which is an encouraging sign for the Gunners.

Berta signed Rodri at Atletico Madrid 

Perhaps the name that stands out the most from the list from an Arsenal point of view is Rodri, who has been a bit of a villain for the Gunners in recent years. 

A feud started when the midfielder scored a late winner at the Emirates and celebrated wildly in front of fans, with tensions rising as Arteta’s squad rose to become title challengers. 

Over the years, Rodri has questioned Arsenal’s mentality, as well as making subtle jabs at the North Londoners. 

While the Spaniard isn’t the most loved figure around N5, what the Manchester City ace does have is world-class quality and, a dominant personality, being a player that attracted Berta.

Arsenal fans will certainly hope that the possible new sporting director can lure a player of Rodri’s calibre to the Emirates, in what could be an exciting hire.