Mikel Arteta expects clarity soon over new Arsenal sporting director | OneFootball

The Gunners are yet to decide over who Edu’s replacement will be

Mikel Arteta expects a decision over Arsenal’s new sporting director to be reached “relatively quickly”.

Jason Ayto, who was Edu’s assistant sporting director, has stepped up since then to be Arsenal’s interim sporting director.

The club are currently undergoing a recruitment process and Arteta has hinted that could be over soon.

Jason Ayto has stepped up in Edu’s absence

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

“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,” he said.

Executive vice-chair Tim Lewis and managing director Richard Garlick are leading the search for a new sporting director.

Arteta will also have an input in the process, but the ultimate sign-off will come from the club’s owners, Stan and Josh Kroenke.

Arsenal did not sign a player during the January transfer window, but Arteta has dismissed suggestion that is because Edu had left and there was no permanent sporting director.

“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

Mikel Arteta

Arteta has revealed plans were in place before Edu resigned, however it was hard to complete them as the market was “complicated” in January.

“The plan was more or less drawn as to what we wanted to achieve in the window,” said Arteta.

“We have achieved certain things, not all of them but this always happens, in the summer as well.

“Last summer it was the same. We wanted to do certain things, some of them are renewals, some of them try to recruit some players, some with the academy, some others we didn’t want to sell. This window was the same.

Asked specifically what was achieved, Arteta said: “Well certain players that we wanted to keep, to extend our relationship with them, develop them for sure. And as well control the expectation, because I think it is very important.”