The wait for Arsenal to make a permanent appointment of their sporting director goes on despite claims after the close of the January transfer window that it would be a decision made rather quickly. However, we are approaching the end of February and moving into March and yet there is no breakthrough as to who will get the job.
“The decision, I think, will be done relatively quickly, whether it’s Jason or somebody else, I don’t know, but I think that decision will be done quite early,” Mikel Arteta said after the closure of the window.
Yet nearly a month has gone by since this claim from the Arsenal manager and it does not look clearer as to who it might be. Jason Ayto oversaw the January transfer window alongside the existing recruitment team following Edu Gaspar’s resignation earlier in the season.
“We have the sporting director which is Jason, it’s clear and he’s been since the departure of Edu from day one he has been given full responsibility, all our support from that aspect and what the club wants to do after that is not on me,” said Arteta. “It’s a club decision to try to appoint the person that they believe is the best, and I will be in full support of that.”
How much control Arteta has remains unstated. Going off his words there, it appears something the likes of Josh Kroenke, Tim Lewis, and Richard Garlick will have the biggest sway on – however, it would be naïve to assume the influence of the Gunners’ manager in any major club decision.
There were some suggestions that Tomas Rosicky had become a leading candidate in the race. The former Arsenal midfielder has resided at Sparta Praha, turning them into a title-winning side once against and returning them back to the Champions League for the first time in 14 years.
However, football.london understands that this is wide of the mark and that while Rosicky has been considered by the club alongside a number of other names, he is not first choice. Luis Campos is another who has been appreciated by more clubs than just Arsenal with Chelsea believed to be very keen.
Roberto Olabe, the current director at Real Sociedad has also been a name in the fold, although that too has gone rather quiet since the turn of the year although he remains in the fold.
Ayto himself is another candidate after his work alongside Edu, but also the work undertaken since Edu’s departure. Arsenal have been looking ahead to the summer with Ayto taking over from Edu on some profiles such as Martin Zubimendi who football.london understand the Gunners are confident of getting a deal done for in the summer.
That said, after the failure to sign a single player in the January window, particularly a forward, confidence from the fan base in Ayto is at a low point, so early in his time at the forefront of recruitment at the club – even in an interim position.
The bottom line is this needs to be sorted out as soon as possible. The summer of 2025 is crucial to the club’s future and having that key appointment made early with a view to sorting those plans for June and beyond early will give Arsenal the best chance – fail to do so and it will most likely again be a disappointing transfer window.
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