Arsenal are close to appointing Andrea Berta as their new sporting director, a source has told ESPN. The Gunners have been conducting a detailed process to identify a successor to Edu, who resigned from his position in November and has been on a six-month period of gardening leave since.

Berta became available in January after more than a decade at Atletico Madrid — where he was central to the Spanish team’s progress.

Arsenal have reached an agreement with former Atletico Madrid transfer guru Andrea Berta to fill the role of sporting director at the Emirates Stadium.