Arsenal Set to Appoint Key Barca Chief Sanllehi as Club's New Director of Operations

Arsenal are set to appoint former Barcelona chief Raul Sanllehi as the club's new Director of Operations, according to Spanish reports.

Sport has reported that the former Barca director will help oversee the arrival of new players at Emirates Stadium, and already has a good working relationship with Arsenal's current chief executive Ivan Gazidis.

An agreement is said to have been put in place that will see Sanllehi head to north London in the coming weeks, and his capture will be a huge coup for the Gunners when he arrives.

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Sanllehi was the man behind the arrival of current Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez at Nou Camp, and had a major hand in ensuring Luis Suarez and former La Blaugrana superstar Neymar joined the Catalan giants from Liverpool and Santos respectively.

Manchester City were also thought to be interested in bringing the 48-year-old to the Premier League but they have been pipped to his signature by Arsenal instead.

Sanllehi's current contract with Barcelona is expected to expire in the very near future, and it is only this small detail that is holding up his move from north east Spain to English shores.

If and when Sanllehi arrives in England's capital, he will take over the day-to-day runnings of potential transfer targets after Dick Law stepped down from a similar role in September.

Sanllehi's appointment is likely to end Arsenal's interest in former star Marc Overmars, who had been tipped to trade his sporting directorial role with Ajax for the Gunners.

It is up for debate how Wenger's role with regards to transfers will change with Sanllehi's arrival, given his previous comments about not wanting to work with a director of football.

The Frenchman may not have a say in the matter, however, with Sanllehi becoming the latest man to join Arsenal from Barcelona.