Arsenal have confirmed that Richard Garlick, the Premier League’s director of football, will become the club’s director of football operations later this year.
Garlick will join Arsenal’s executive team and add expertise to a group that has been light in number during recent months. Working alongside the technical director Edu, manager Mikel Arteta and academy manager Per Mertesacker, he will oversee football operations in the first team and academy, as well as player contract management and relationships with football’s governing bodies.
It means Arsenal will benefit from the services of a qualified solicitor and sports law specialist who possesses clout at the top level as well as a proven track record. Garlick joined the Premier League in 2018 having spent eight years at West Bromwich Albion, where he was director of football administration.
Arsenal have been looking for a senior figure with contractual and legal expertise since announcing the departure of their previous head of football operations, Huss Fahmy, in October.
There had been fears in the meantime that they were left exposed in some of their dealings with existing and potential contracts. Their head of football, Raul Sanllehi, also departed in August.