Arsenal get their man! Andrea Berta snubs ‘top-level opportunities’ to join Gunners – with Premier League giants finding sporting director successor to Edu

Berta left Atletico after 12 years in January and has been considered a chief option for the Gunners since, considering his track record of keeping the Spanish side competitive with Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as sanctioning high-profile deals. He has previously held roles at Parma and Genoa in Italy and now The Athletic report he is set for north London.

Berta was fundamental during a period of huge success for Atletico, who won two La Liga titles, the Europa League and finished as Champions League runners-up twice during his period at the club. He bought and sold Antoine Griezmann and Rodri for large sums and last summer spent £180 million ($232m) on Julian Alvarez, Conor Gallagher, Robin Le Normand and Alexander Sorloth to regenerate Diego Simeone's squad once more.

Edu left a vacancy at the Emirates in November and is set to take a role overseeing Evangelos Marinakis' multi-club network. That group includes 2024-25 Premier League surprise package Nottingham Forest.

Arsenal look set to finalise the appointment of Berta during a crucial period of their season. Their Premier League hopes hang by a thread, sitting 16 points behind leaders Liverpool with two games in hand ahead of their game at Manchester United on Sunday, but they are almost certainly in the Champions League quarter-finals after thrashing PSV 7-1 in the first leg of their last-16 tie.