Arsenal may have bided their time to replace sporting director Edu after his surprise departure last year but the Gunners have finally got their man.
On Sunday, the north London club announced the arrival of Andrea Berta as Mikel Arteta's new right-hand man when it comes to transfers. The Italian arrives at the Emirates Stadium after a long and successful partnership with Diego Simeone ended at Atletico Madrid in January.
At the time, it was hinted that Berta had decided to leave in January, despite his contract ending in June, because he was feeling 'sidelined' in the Spanish capital. If this was the case, it did not prevent Atleti hailing the sporting director when announcing his immediate departure.
"This decision marks the end of more than a decade of work defined by impressive sporting results and the growth of the organisation," an official statement from the club read. "We would like to thank Andrea for all of his effort, commitment and dedication during these eleven years and wish him the best in his future professional chapter."
During his time in the director's room, Berta managed to transform Atletico Madrid into a force in Spain that could compete with the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona. They won La Liga twice, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup and the Europa League during this successful stint.
Atletico became a regular force in the Champions League and reached the final of the competition but fell short to Real. Such accomplishments were only possible thanks to some solid recruitment over the years and football.london has taken a look at five transfers Berta has made previously which he could look to replicate at Arsenal.