Andrea Berta Set to Join Arsenal as New Sporting Director

Andrea Berta is on the verge of becoming Arsenal’s new sporting director, with the Italian set to take the reins after a thorough recruitment process. The Gunners have been searching for the right replacement for Edu, who stepped down from the role last November, and after considering several high-profile candidates, Berta has emerged as the standout choice.

The 53-year-old, who parted ways with Atlético Madrid in January after spending over a decade at the club, has agreed to take the job. Once the paperwork is finalized, there’s nothing stopping him from getting started right away – just in time to help Arsenal navigate what promises to be a crucial summer transfer window. Berta had been linked with a move to Milan, but the Premier League has long been on his radar. His track record speaks for itself.  

During his time at Atlético, he played a key role in orchestrating major transfers, including last summer’s deals for Julián Álvarez (£64m from Manchester City) and Conor Gallagher (£34m from Chelsea). His ability to pull off complex and high-stakes transfers will be a major asset for Arsenal, who are looking to strengthen their squad and push for the Premier League title.  

Berta initially joined Atlético in 2013 as part of their international scouting team, but his sharp eye for talent and strategic thinking saw him rise quickly to become the club’s sporting director in 2017. Under his influence, Atlético reached two Champions League finals (2014 and 2016) and won La Liga twice (2014 and 2021) under Diego Simeone. He also helped them secure multiple trophies, including the Copa del Rey (2013), Spanish Supercopa (2014), Europa League (2017-18), and UEFA Super Cup (2018). 

His transfer market successes are well-documented. Berta was instrumental in signing Antoine Griezmann from Real Sociedad for just €30 million in 2014—a move that proved to be a masterstroke as the French forward went on to win the World Cup in 2018. He also played a key role in bringing Jan Oblak to Madrid for €16m, a deal that turned out to be one of the best goalkeeping investments in recent memory. And in 2019, he managed to lure Kieran Trippier away from Tottenham for just €20m. Of course, not every transfer has been a hit. João Félix’s €126m move from Benfica in 2019 remains one of the most debated signings in recent history, while big-money moves for Thomas Lemar (€60m from Monaco), Álvaro Morata (€58m from Chelsea), and Diego Costa (€55m from Chelsea) failed to deliver the expected returns. 

Arsenal had considered other strong candidates for the role, including former Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth, Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro, and Real Sociedad’s Roberto Olabe, who has already confirmed he’ll be leaving his current club at the end of the season. But in the end, Berta’s experience, reputation, and ability to pull-off complex transfers made him the perfect fit for the job. Now, all eyes will be on Arsenal’s summer business. With Berta at the helm, the Gunners will be hoping to make the right moves in the market to close the gap on Liverpool and finally bring the Premier League trophy back to North London. 

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