Premier League sporting directors: who are they, and how much power do they all have?

Key Highlights

• The Italian, who began his career in finance, has made an instant impression.
• Known as a shrewd negotiator, the suave and softly spoken 54-year-old masterminded Arsenal’s outlay of more than £250m in the summer that included the arrivals of Viktor Gyökeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.
• Berta takes the lead on recruitment in consultation with Richard Garlick, who was promoted to chief executive in September, the manager, Mikel Arteta, and the co-chair Josh Kroenke.
• James Ellis, a former scout who then spent two years as head of recruitment, was appointed as technical director in the summer and is tasked with “delivering the club’s long-term player progression strategy”, with a focus on creating a pathway from academy to first team.
• Ed AaronsAston VillaRoberto Olabe gave his former Real Sociedad teammate Unai Emery a second crack at management, at second-tier Almería in 2006, and last October it was a role reversal of sorts when Olabe was appointed president of football operations.