Arsenal are close to appointing Borussia Dortmund chief scout Sven Mislintat as their new head of recruitment, according to Bild.
The German newspaper claim that a deal has been agreed for the transfer mastermind to join the Premier League giants and he will join before the end of next month.
Bild report that Arsenal will pay Dortmund a “transfer fee” of £1.8million for the services of Mislintat, 45, as he is under contract at the Bundesliga club for four more years.
It is said that the appointment of Mislintat will be announced within the coming days.
Mislintat is a highly-respected figure in European football, and was integral to Dortmund signing players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ousmane Dembele and Robert Lewandowski.
Bavarian giants Bayern Munich were close to appointing Mislintat as their technical director in the summer, but it now looks as though Arsenal have swooped in for the sought-after talent spotter.
OPINION
‘About time, too’. That will be the reaction of many Arsenal fans to the imminent recruitment reshuffle. The Gunners once led the way in making astute signings who multipled in value while delivering the goods for Arsene Wenger’s team. Not any more. There are as many flop signings these days as genuine hits. Alexandre Lacazette and Saed Kolasinac were fine acquisitions during summer but none of the main 2016 arrivals – Lucas Perez, Shkodran Mustafi and Granit Xhaka – have lived up to their billing, or transfer fees. Compare Arsenal’s recruitment in recent years to that of Tottenham, or Chelsea, and it is not flattering. The blame must not merely be apportioned to super-powerful Wenger, but those around him at the sharp end. The game has moved on, and it is clear that Arsenal have recognised they need new blood with the nous and contacts to put them a step ahead.