Ousmane Dembele Barcelona

I'm expected to sign a Dembele in every transfer window at Arsenal - Mislintat

Sven Mislintat feels he is expected to make a new superstar signing in every transfer window in his new role as head of recruitment at Arsenal.

The German brought an end to a successful 10 years at Borussia Dortmund to join the Gunners, where he will work alongside Arsene Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

Mislintat is credited with Dortmund's signings of Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Shinji Kagawa and Ousmane Dembele, who was signed from Rennes and sold to Barcelona just a year later for a total that could rise to €145 million.

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Much has been made of Arsenal bringing him in alongside Raul Sanllehi from Barcelona as head of football relations, and Mislintat acknowledges there are big expectations.

"Going by the press in England and Germany, they expect me to sign a Dembele in each transfer window," he told Kicker.

"I'm being put on an incredibly high pedestal."

Mislintat left Dortmund on bad terms after a falling out with previous coach Thomas Tuchel, leaving CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke to admit the club regret treating him "like a leper".

Mislintat has no hard feelings, however, and stressed that he felt it was the right time to move on.

"There were many things in that time that I would have preferred to do without, and the same goes for Thomas Tuchel too, probably. In the end it damaged us all," he added.

"I only said that this time inspired me to do something different. There was not just one reason.

"I'm not mad at anyone, on the contrary, I find it extremely brave what Watzke said at the membership and shareholder meeting. To take responsibility in a difficult phase for the club has my greatest respect."

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