Arsenal Close to Signing Former Juventus Scouting Chief Matteo Tognozzi

Arsenal are close to signing Matteo Tognozzi, former Juventus scouting chief, who most recently worked as Granada’s director. The Italian administrator is set to work under Andrea Berta in the Gunners’ recruitment team.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Arsenal have moved swiftly to strengthen their backroom by bringing in Tognozzi for their recruitment team. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, negotiations between the club and the Italian are in a very advanced stage.

Tognozzi’s move to Arsenal is expected to be immediate and official before Arsenal’s match against Bournemouth on Sunday evening.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Tognozzi’s imminent appointment at Arsenal comes just days after reports suggested that the former Bayer Leverkusen executive was all set to return to Juventus after a brief stint at Granada.

According to a report by Tuttosport, Juve chiefs had offered Tognozzi a lucrative offer to snatch him from Arsenal’s noses to enhance the club’s future plans.

TOGNOZZI’S BACKGROUND

Tognozzi has worked at several top clubs in Europe including Milan Esia, Kaiser Chiefs, Leverkusen and Juventus before joining Granada. He started his career in his native country as a controversy and compliance manager in FC Catanzaro. Juventus had initially roped him in for the role of chief scout in March 2023.

The executive helped identify talent for the Serie A and worked in Turin from 2017 to 2022. It was during his tenure at Juventus that they dominated Italian football with five Serie A titles and appeared in two Champions League finals.

Tognozzi returned to Juve as Sporting Director in April 2023 16 months after leaving for La Liga but was fired later that year when Cristiano Giuntoli was appointed in his role as part of a major restructuring at the club

WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arsenal take on Bournemouth in their final home game of the season on Sunday. Mikel Arteta will have every member of his first team squad available from the very beginning of the match for the first time since September.

While winning the Premier League title is no longer in Arsenal’s hands, they still need to keep pushing City and Liverpool hard till the final match day next Sunday.

As for their recruitment plans, Arsenal have already begun the process of reshaping the squad as they have held conversations regarding the possibility of bringing Cody Gakpo.

The club have also set a price on Ethan Nwaneri, who Inter wants to bring in next season with the aid of Romelu Lukaku, while the Gunners want to sign Pedro Neto from Wolves as a replacement for Reiss Nelson who could join Roma on a free transfer.