Andrea Berta: What can Arsenal fans expect from the new sports director?
“It is unique enough compared to other sports directors,” said Spanish football, Guillem Balague at the BBC Sport.
“He did not have a player career, he started in the banking sector and entered football only later, first in Carpenedolo, an amateur club, then in Parma and Genoa, where he built key connections with Peter Kenyon and Jorge Mendes.
“Under his watch, Atletico won two titles La Liga (2013-14, 2020-21), a Copa del Rey (2013), to the Europa League (2017-18) and a UEFA Super Cup (2018).
“It is seen as the architect of the team rebuilt after the winning team of 2014 is vanished.”
Working with manager Diego Simeone, Berta helped Atletico to make some cunning acquisitions during that reconstruction.
The French striker Griezmann was signed by Real Sociedad for £ 24.8 million in 2014 and five years later he was sold in Barcelona for £ 103 million. Atletico therefore purchased it in 2021 for only £ 16.5 million.
Spain midfielder Rodri, a winner of Ballon d’Or, was signed for £ 16.5 million in 2018 and sold in Manchester City the following year for £ 62.5 million, while the Slovenian goalkeeper Oblak signed from Benfica in 2014 for only £ 13 million. It is now widely considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world.
More recently, the striker Julian Alvarez joined Manchester City last summer for £ 81.5 million and scored 23 goals for Atletico this season.
“He brought key players like Griezmann (twice), Luis Suarez, Kieran Trippier, Llorente, De Paul and Julian Alvarez,” added Balague.
“But he also had some flops, such as Joao Felix, Kalinic, Arias, Torreira, but has always worked within the financial limits of the club.
“In total, he made 52 purchases since 2017, spending about 828 million euros (£ 692 million), leaving a big sign in the Atletico team. A end of an era for them.”
