Arsenal’s behind-the-scenes overhaul is showing no signs of slowing down.
The medical department is being revamped this summer, with Arnaldo Abrantes set to arrive from Aston Villa as a replacement for outgoing head of medicine Zafar Iqbal.
Meanwhile, rehabilitation specialist Eneko Angulo is joining from Real Betis, with lead performance coach Sam Wilson departing after 12 years at the club.
Injuries have plagued Arsenal over the last two seasons, and the club are clearly looking to address that with fresh faces and fresh ideas.
The club have also restructured the football department, after James Ellis left in February, with Tim Lewis, Edu Gaspar, and Jason Ayto all having moved on in recent years too.
Now, according to The Athletic, sporting director Andrea Berta is looking to expand his recruitment team further.
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Andrea Berta wants to bring in a familiar face from his Atletico Madrid days
Having already appointed former Napoli head of scouting Maurizio Micheli, Berta is keen to add Granada’s sporting director Javier Alonso to his setup.
The two worked together at Atletico Madrid between 2016 and 2021, and Arsenal and Granada are now in dialogue about a potential move, though Granada hope to keep him.
Alonso has been with the Spanish second-tier side since January 2024, having previously worked at Italian club Sassuolo after starting out coaching in the youth ranks at his hometown club, Sporting Gijon.
It is not yet clear what his exact remit at Arsenal would be, though he could end up working closely with Micheli.
Arsenal are rebuilding from top to bottom after ending 22-year title wait
Berta clearly trusts the people he knows. And pairing Micheli’s scouting pedigree he established at Napoli with Alonso, another colleague from Berta’s time at Atletico Madrid, is evidence of the Italian’s growing influence at Arsenal.
And despite finally ending their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, the club’s on-field transfer business is as busy as ever.
The champions of England are looking to strengthen central midfield, with interest in Bruno Guimaraes ramping up, while Morgan Rogers, Bradley Barcola and Christos Tzolis remain targets in attack.
The Athletic are also reporting that Arsenal’s pursuit of Rogers has been complicated by Aston Villa using Manchester City’s agreed £116m fee for Elliot Anderson as a reference point for their own valuation.
Mikel Arteta also wants to bring in another full-back as well as possible cover for William Saliba.
With so much happening across recruitment, medical and football departments, Arteta and Berta are focused on strengthening the club behind the scenes as much as improving the squad itself.
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