Arsenal is likely to appoint Andrea Berta, formerly a key figure at Atletico Madrid, as their new sporting director. This move comes as the Gunners seek a replacement for Edu, who departed after rejoining the club in 2019.
Edu’s exit occurred after a January transfer window where Arsenal couldn’t secure a striker, impacting their Premier League title aspirations. Jason Ayto temporarily filled the role, but Arsenal’s successful transfer record under Edu, which included signings like Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, needed to be maintained.
Reports indicate that Andrea Berta is the likely successor. He recently left Atletico Madrid after more than seven years as their sporting director. His tenure at the Spanish club involved numerous significant transfers under Diego Simeone, contributing to Atletico’s La Liga victory in the 2020/21 season.
Atletico Madrid, under Berta, were known to make substantial investments in players. Here’s a list of the top 10 most expensive signings made since he became sporting director in 2017. These transfers may indicate Arsenal’s future direction in the market.
| Andrea Berta’s Most Expensive Signings for Atletico Madrid | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Player | Signed from | Fee |
| 1 | Joao Felix | Benfica | £113m |
| 2 | Julian Alvarez | Man City | £81.5m |
| 3 | Alvaro Morata | Chelsea | £58.3m |
| 4 | Diego Costa | Chelsea | £57m |
| 5 | Thomas Lemar | Monaco | £53m |
| =6 | Conor Gallagher | Chelsea | £33m |
| =6 | Vitolo | Sevilla | £33m |
| 8 | Marcos Llorente | Real Madrid | £31.2m |
| 9 | Rodrigo De Paul | Udinese | £29.9m |
| 10 | Alexander Sorloth | Villarreal | £26.9m |
10 Alexander Sorloth
Transfer fee: £26.9m from Villarreal (2024)
Alexander Sorloth, a teammate of Martin Odegaard in the Norwegian national team, established himself in European football during his time at Villarreal in the 2023/24 season.
Previously with Crystal Palace, Sorloth’s career took off at Trabzonspor, where he scored 24 league goals in a season. After joining Atletico Madrid for £26.9m last summer, Sorloth has played for a different La Liga club each of the last three seasons, including Villarreal and Real Sociedad.
9 Rodrigo De Paul
Transfer fee: £29.9m from Udinese (2021)
Rodrigo De Paul’s move to Atletico Madrid, the then-La Liga champions, followed his impressive performances in Argentina’s Copa America victory. The transfer, approved by Berta and Simeone, cost nearly £30m.
De Paul has been a key player for Atletico, with 39 appearances in all competitions as they aim for silverware this season, including a Champions League run.
8 Marcos Llorente
Transfer fee: £31.2m from Real Madrid (2019)
Marcos Llorente made a direct move from Real Madrid to Atletico. Atletico Madrid paid around £31.2m, including potential add-ons, for the midfielder.
Llorente was brought in to replace Rodri, who moved to Manchester City. His versatility and consistent performances have made this transfer a valuable acquisition for Atletico.
7 Vitolo
Transfer fee: £33m from Sevilla (2017)
Vitolo was among Andrea Berta’s initial signings after becoming sporting director in 2017. Due to a transfer ban, he could only join the club later that year.
Atletico Madrid activated Vitolo’s £33m release clause. Although his impact diminished over time, Vitolo began his Atletico career with a Europa League title and retired as a league champion after loan spells.
6 Conor Gallagher
Transfer fee: £33m from Chelsea (2024)
Conor Gallagher’s move to Atletico Madrid from Chelsea for £33m was a notable summer transfer as Chelsea aimed to balance their finances.
Vihaan Mehrotra