Arsenal appoint Richard Garlick from Premier League as new director of football operations

ByRichard Newman

Updated 14/01/2021 at 15:02 GMT

Richard Garlick will leave the Premier League to join Arsenal as their new director of football operations later this year. The former sporting and technical director at West Brom, who is a qualified solicitor specialising in sports law, will work closely with manager Mikel Arteta, technical director Edu and academy boss Per Mertesacker.

Arsenal have appointed Richard Garlick from the Premier League as their new director of football operations.

The qualified solicitor, who specialises in sports law, will join the club later this year.

Garlick, who was previously West Brom’s sporting and technical director when Dan Ashworth left to work with England, has been director of football at the Premier League since 2018.

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In his new role at Arsenal, Garlick will work closely with manager Mikel Arteta, academy boss Per Mertesacker and technical director Edu.

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“His responsibilities will include football operations in the first team and academy, all player contract management and relationships with football’s governing bodies”, the club said in a statement.

He succeeds Huss Fahmy, who left the position in October.

Our view

Arsenal’s appointment of Richard Garlick looks to be a canny one. A lot has changed in senior positions at the club since Arsene Wenger’s departure in 2018, and a new, clear direction is being set.

Garlick is highly rated, having worked his way up the ranks at West Brom before succeeding Dan Ashworth in 2013. He has significant experience handling transfers and contract negotiations, and with his intensive knowledge of sports law, will be key to driving a good contract deal at Arsenal.

He will return to club football on the back of three years at the Premier League, where he has responsibility for the administration of the game, youth development and football relations.

Garlick will, essentially, work to make the lives of Edu, Arteta and Mertesacker that little bit easier, so that they can concentrate on the key elements of their roles.

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