Arsenal’s hunt for a new sporting director is expected to come to an end in March.
The Gunners are eager to make an appointment imminently, as they look to integrate the new man at the helm well before the summer transfer window commences.
Edu Gaspar stepped down in December, with Jason Ayto taking interim charge since the Brazilian opted to pursue a new role overseeing Evangelos Marinakis’ network of clubs.
Ayto is understood to be a candidate to replace Edu, as are five other highly-qualified and experienced figures, including Thiago Scuro.
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Who has Arsenal sporting director candidate Thiago Scuro signed in the past?
Scuro is among the names being considered by Arsenal’s hierarchy for the vacant sporting director role.
The 43-year-old has enjoyed an exceptional career in the footballing administration industry up until this point, excelling in roles at the Red Bull group, Brazilian club Cruzeiro and now at Monaco.
Player recruitment has come under his remit in each of these jobs, and he boasts an impressive track record of signings.
Most notably, Scuro brought Erling Haaland to RB Salzburg from Molde for just €8 million back in August 2018, penning the Norwegian centre-forward to a five-year contract.
Salzburg would go on to sell the prolific striker for over double this fee just over a year later.
Scuro also signed Matheus Cunha in his time at Red Bull, spotting the Brazilian thriving in the Swiss league for Sion.
Cunha has been linked with Arsenal, so this could be one to watch if the Italian-Brazilian is appointed.
Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate was signed by Scuro for Leipzig back in 2017, with the French defender previously plying his trade in Ligue 2, demonstrating the sporting director’s eye for talent.
A number of other players have been scouted from lesser leagues by Scuro and subsequently risen to prominence, including the likes of Naby Keita, Dayot Upamecano, Marcel Sabitzer and Emil Forsberg.
Scuro was also responsible for former Arsenal man Folarin Balogun’s switch to Monaco, and ex-Gunner Emile Smith Rowe’s loan move to Leipzig back in 2019.
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Who has Thiago Scuro sold in the past?
As well as being astute when it comes to making smart acquisitions in the transfer market, Scuro is an exceptional negotiator in the selling process.
The Monaco man is capable of eliciting some substantial fees for players who may not warrant this level of investment from suitors.
Last summer, Scuro sold French midfielder Youssouf Fofana to AC MIlan for €25 million, an impressive fee for a player who hasn’t kicked on Italy.
Meanwhile, he also sanctioned Axel Disasi’s departure for Chelsea the previous summer, selling the man now on loan at Aston Villa for a whopping €45 million.
Most impressively, Scuro collected a reported €60 million for Naby Keita in 2017.
While Liverpool had triggered Keita’s release clause to secure this deal, Scuro did very well to implement this clause into the midfielder’s contract in the first place, with the injury-prone playmaker never demonstrating that he was worth this kind of money.
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