Arsenal have reached an agreement to appoint Andrea Berta as the next sporting director, claims David Ornstein.
The Gunners are set to end their four-month search for a new director, following Edu Gaspar’s resignation from the club in November 2024.
Josh Kroenke has been part of the search for Arsenal’s next sporting director, with plenty of names being linked with the role.
However, after an extensive search, Andrea Berta is set to be the Arsenal sporting director in the coming weeks.
It firms up the backroom and recruitment team heading into what will be an important summer window for Mikel Arteta and his side.
As Arsenal prepare for such a big window, David Ornstein has given a debrief on what the market could look like for Berta.
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David Ornstein gives update on Andrea Berta to Arsenal deal
David Ornstein reported that Andrea Berta’s deal to Arsenal had been finally agreed between all parties, with the final details being thrashed out.
It will see the sporting director take charge ahead of a busy window, which the transfer expert has outlined with several big priorities.
Speaking to NBC, he said: “I’m sure he’ll work heavily on recruitment, which is the area which all Arsenal fans are focusing at the moment.
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“Arsenal in the summer are going to have a big window I’m sure, they’re looking to sign a striker, they would really like to do a deal for Alexander Isak. Whether that’s going to be possible we’ll have to wait and see.
“They’ve done a lot of work on Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig too.”
The striker department is an area that plenty of fans want Arsenal to strengthen in, but it isn’t the only area of focus.
“When you go into midfield they’re hoping to complete a deal for Martin Zubimendi with Jorginho and Thomas Partey quite possibly leaving,” Ornstein continued.
“There’s work to do at left-back because they’ll see Kieran Tierney go, maybe Zinchenko as well.
“They’ll need a second-choice goalkeeper, they may need a third-choice goalkeeper and it will be the role of Andrea Berta to oversee all of that.
“Their finances are in good shape, and he’ll have to work very closely with Mikel Arteta as the manager to deliver.”
It leaves the sporting director with one of the biggest decisions to make so early into the challenge, which will no doubt be part of the appeal of joining Arsenal.
Striker transfer an instant win for Andrea Berta at Arsenal
If there’s one area that Arsenal fans have been crying out for over the past few years, it’s in the striker department.
The Gunners need a centre-forward to land those goals with a clinical edge that has been missing in recent years.
Andrea Berta has a decent record when it comes to landing those players in those areas, including the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Diogo Jota and Julian Alvarez in his time at Atletico Madrid.
Landing an option, whether that’s Alexander Isak or Benjamin Sesko, would be an instant victory for the new sporting director to sign a striker.
It remains to be seen who that striker could be, but it is a huge call to make with the finances being touted.
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