Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta has not stopped working since he replaced Edu Gaspar.
The Italian has made quite the impression at Arsenal, not only for navigating an impressive summer transfer window, but for what he’s doing behind the scenes right now.
Berta made Arsenal fans very happy as William Saliba signed a new contract, with Jurrien Timber and Bukayo Saka expected to follow.
It’s a triumph as significant as a new signing, but the good news doesn’t stop at merely contract extensions.
David Raya awarded with salary increase
Keeping players happy is what Berta wants to achieve to ensure that Mikel Arteta’s project runs smoothly for the foreseeable future.
The sporting director is certainly achieving his goal so far, with the latest news revealing his impact on David Raya.
BBC’s Sami Mokbel revealed that during the summer, Berta offered Raya an improved contract at Arsenal.
The deal did not include an extension, but just a pay rise to honour the goalkeeper’s growth since joining the club on an initial loan in 2023.
Mokbel says that Raya’s new contract underlines his status as one of Arsenal’s most important players.
The contract improvement was signed earlier in the summer and is believed to exceed a weekly wage of £100,000.
It’s huge for the Gunners, as Raya is crucial to Arsenal’s desire to win the Premier League, rewarding the shot-stopper for his efforts.
Andrea Berta’s style on show at Arsenal
When it comes to learning about players signing new contracts, the primary question is how long the deal is valid.
For Raya, nothing has changed on that front, making it an unusual piece of business, but one that could become rather frequent at Arsenal under Berta’s reign.
In the summer, Leandro Trossard signed an improved contract, one that didn’t extend his stay but bolstered his salary.
It’s a tactic that Berta has used twice so far at Arsenal in order to keep players on board, and one that Raya will certainly appreciate.
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