Arsenal's search for a new sporting director remains ongoing, but fresh reports suggest that Andrea Berta, formerly of Atletico Madrid, has emerged as a leading candidate for the role. The Gunners have been on the hunt for a replacement for their former director Edu, who resigned in November to take on a role overseeing the group of clubs owned by Evangelos Marinakis, including Nottingham Forest. Jason Ayto has been filling the role on an interim basis and remains an internal candidate, with Arsenal keen to keep him on as a No2 even if he does not get the top job.

Executive vice-chair Tim Lewis and managing director Richard Garlick are continuing to lead the recruitment process, which manager Mikel Arteta suggested recently would be wrapped up "soon". Berta's career in football began in his early 30s when he took a job as sporting director at lower-league Italian club FC Carpenedolo. His work there attracted the attention of more high-profile outfits, and he eventually landed the sporting director role at Parma and then Genoa. In 2013, he joined Atletico Madrid, reportedly on the recommendation of former Manchester United and Chelsea executive Peter Kenyon. Initially appointed as part of the club's international scouting department, Berta's influence in Madrid steadily grew, and in 2017 he was promoted to sporting director.

During his time at Atletico, Berta was hailed for his part in signing several players who became a core part of the club's success, including Jan Oblak, Antoine Griezmann, Rodri, and Yannick Carrasco. His record of profitable sales is also strong, including the sale of Thomas Partey to Arsenal. However, there have been some expensive missteps in Atletico's recruitment on Berta's watch, most notably in the signings of Joao Felix and Thomas Lamar for around a combined £180million. Berta's experience and track record make him an attractive candidate for the Arsenal role, and his ability to work with manager Diego Simeone at Atletico suggests he could be a good fit for the Emirates.

The process of finding a replacement for Edu is now entering its final stages, with sources insisting that a final decision has not yet been made. Interim sporting director Jason Ayto is another candidate for the role, and former Newcastle United and Manchester United director Dan Ashworth is also thought to be in the mix. Former Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has said he is "aware" that he features on the club's radar. Italian reports have said that Berta was also in contention for the role of sporting director at AC Milan but that he now will not be joining the Serie A club. Berta's experience and success at Atletico make him a strong candidate for the Arsenal role, and his ability to work with top managers and sign key players could be a major asset for the Gunners.

Some of the key transfer deals struck by Berta during his time as sporting director at Atletico include:

• The purchase of Rodri from Villarreal for around £20 million in 2018
• The sale of Rodri to Manchester City for more than £60 million a year later
• The purchase of Joao Felix from Benfica for €127 million in 2019
• The sale of Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona for £107 million and then re-signing the France forward for around £17 million
• The sale of Matheus Cunha to Wolves in a deal worth £44 million, having signed the Brazilian for around £20 million

Berta's experience and success in the transfer market make him a strong candidate for the Arsenal role, and his ability to work with top managers and sign key players could be a major asset for the Gunners. With his background in football management, Berta could be the perfect fit for the Emirates.