Before his appointment was officially announced, reports suggested Andrea Berta was clear about wanting to work closely with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal .
His first summer window in charge left a big impression on supporters. Fans could hardly believe how much the club had changed.
Berta oversaw eight signings and spent around £250 million, clearly focused on strengthening the squad and giving Arteta more depth across the pitch.
It wasn't just about the new faces. Even before the transfer window opened, Berta's determination to build a squad capable of competing across all competitions was already evident.
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Berta's move to North London became official on March 30th, 2025, and his reputation from his time at Atletico Madrid meant expectations were high right from the start.
The feeling was mutual. Arsenal were eager to bring him in, and Berta himself seemed just as enthusiastic about joining the club.
According to The Athletic, "In some cases, the role of sporting director is focused on the long-term, but Berta was explicit about coming to Arsenal to work closely with Arteta, to win and to do so immediately."
From the beginning, Berta made it clear that he wanted to be hands-on and focused on immediate results alongside Arteta. Early signs suggest he's well on his way toward delivering just that.
Berta stepped into Edu Gaspar's role with a wealth of experience as a sporting director, even if his background differed in other ways.
Berta's path couldn't be more different from Edu's who had an established playing career before moving into management roles. Football wasn't always at the centre of Berta's life but that hasn't held him back in any way.
When the Italian was hired, Guillem Balague actually told BBC Sport what makes Berta so unique.
"He's quite unique compared to other sporting directors; he had no playing career, started in banking, and only got into football later."
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