Arsenal could announce Andrea Berta as their next sporting director before the end of March, according to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein.
The former Atletico Madrid sporting director is expected to replace Edu at the North London club having emerged as the top candidate to fill the shoes of the departed Brazilian.
Arsenal are now putting the finishing touches to the process of appointing Berta, and he could join the Gunners before action resumes after the ongoing international break.
“I guess once they’ve sorted Berta’s visa and other bits his appointment will be confirmed,” Ornstein replied to a fan who asked when Arsenal plan to announce Berta.
“Sounds like they’re not quite ready yet but I’d expect it soon. Maybe by the end of March. It’s obviously now well known inside the club and he’s already having some conversations ahead of officially starting.”
With the summer transfer window approaching and the contracts of the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and William Saliba expiring in 2027, Berta already has a lot on his plate before joining the Gunners, and he will be keen to hit the ground running.
Arsenal are desperate to become regular Premier League winners no matter how 2024-25 ends, and signing a new striker is believed to be top of their plans ahead of next season.
Identifying the perfect player for the job has been ongoing for a while at the club, but they are unwilling to spend more than necessary on a single player and Berta will be tasked with getting a solid number 9 that is within their budget.
Arsenal also want to hold on to the aforementioned key players and hand them new long-term contracts as they head into the last two years of their contract, and the incoming sporting director has to convince them that committing their best years and future to the club is the best decision they can make.