Mikel Arteta has insisted Arsenal’s search for a new sporting director will have no impact on their transfer business and claimed Edu’s permanent successor could come from inside the club.
Arsenal are on the look-out for Edu’s replacement following the Brazilian’s sudden resignation last month.
Jason Ayto – who has been at Arsenal for a decade, first as a scout, before working his way up the ladder to become Edu’s right-hand man – has assumed the post on an interim basis.
But Dan Ashworth’s shock exit from Manchester United has seen him linked with a move to north London ahead of the transfer window opening in just 19 days.
Speaking prior to his side’s Premier League clash against Everton at the Emirates on Saturday, Arteta was asked if not having a permanent sporting director in place could pose a problem for the club’s transfer dealings.
“We have one,” he replied. “Jason Ayto is our interim sporting director. He has got the full capacity and support of the football club right now. He is doing really well with his team. The process is open, as you know. And the club, with the support of all of us, will decide who is the best person to move us forward.
“I never expect January to be super busy, but we have to wait and see where we are. There might be some opportunities, too. Hopefully the availability of the squad will be better in a few weeks. We have to wait and see.”
Asked if he would like the situation resolved before the end of the season, Arteta continued: “Yes, but when we are convinced that we have the right person who can work the right team who are doing a great job at the moment.
“(It needs to be) someone who is going to take us to the next level. We might have him internally. Timing wise it’s hard to understand. I’m not running the process so it’s more for the club to respond.”
Arteta’s hand in the transfer market could be forced with Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu all currently sidelined.
Jurrien Timber was only fit enough for the bench in Arsenal’s 3-0 win against Monaco in the Champions League. Gabriel has also been absent for the past three matches, but he has returned to training and is expected to be available.
Arteta added: “He certainly deserves to be in contention to be selected because he performed and competed really well. At his age to show that maturity and personality is strange. Off the pitch, it is the same.
“He’s a person that continuously surprises all the staff with the kind of questions that he’s capable of asking. That tells you that Myles is a really bright boy.
“He was surrounded by very senior players, very experienced players. We believed it was the right context where he could help the team to win the game and he certainly did that.”