Arsenal Are Reportedly Set to Appoint a Sporting Director to Aid Recruitment

Arsenal are reportedly set to hire a sporting director to help them "oversee negotiations, transfers and contracts." 

According to the Mirror's John Cross, the appointment will not be a director of football, but he will continue the "major reshuffle" behind the scenes at the Emirates Stadium following the arrival of Team Sky's legal expert Huss Fahmy in July.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been against the idea of a director of football, per Football.London's Charles Watts:

While Wenger's desire to retain control is understandable and to be expected given the autonomy he has had at the club for 21 years, the team's struggles to match their domestic and European rivals in recent years suggests that changes off the pitch could benefit Arsenal on it.

Bleacher Report's James McNicholas has been puzzled by Wenger's stubbornness in this regard:

Although the new appointment will not be a director of football, it's important the club are looking into their recruitment.

Apart from notable exceptions such as Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal have not been bringing in enough players who can help them compete for the Premier League title or in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.

In another change, Steve Rowley—who has worked at Arsenal for more than 35 years and been their chief scout since Wenger arrived—has reportedly told colleagues he is set to depart amid the "modernisation" of the club by chief executive Ivan Gazidis, per the Daily Mail's Charles Sale.

However, the appointment of a sporting director does not necessarily signify an overhaul at the club. According to Cross, the position's "actual title is yet to be confirmed," but based on the responsibilities the appointment will reportedly have, it appears they will be a replacement for chief transfer negotiator Dick Law.

Law, whose contract expired in September but is continuing to help the club until his replacement is brought in, has "operated in a de facto sporting director role for eight years," according to Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas.

The new hire will have their own ideas in regards to negotiations and transfers, but unless they have the power to take Arsenal in a different direction, it may not lead to significant changes at the Emirates.

What impact the appointment and the potential change in scouting will have should become clear in the coming transfer windows.