Who is Arsenal's new director of football operations Richard Garlick?
By Ali Rampling
Arsenal are to name Premier League director of football Richard Garlick as the club's new director of football operations.
Garlick will succeed Huss Fahmy, who departed the role in November 2020 as part of Arsenal's behind the scenes restructuring program.
So just who is Garlick and what will he be getting up to in north London?
Who is Richard Garlick?
Garlick currently works as the Premier League's director of football, a position he has held since August 2018. In this role, he is responsible for football relations and operations, youth football development and young player and coaching education.
Garlick comes from a law background. He graduated from Newcastle University in 1998 with a law degree, and is a qualified solicitor specialising in sports law. Prior to moving into football, Garlick worked for a number of law firms.
By taking up his post with the Premier League in 2018, Garlick became the English top-flight’s first ever director of football. When announcing the appointment two and a half years ago, the Premier League described Garlick as 'well known to clubs and respected by all.'
Has Garlick worked in club football before?
Arsenal will not be Garlick's first foray into club football. Prior to joining the Premier League, he spent eight years at West Brom between 2010 and 2018.
For his first four years with the Midlands outfit, Garlick worked in a selection of senior executive roles, before being appointed as director of football administration in 2014.
The Baggies were a top flight outfit for the entirety of Garlick's time at the Hawthorns, but he departed in July 2018 following their relegation to the Championship.
What will Garlick be doing at Arsenal?
Garlick will join Arsenal's executive team where he will be working alongside the club's technical director Edu, manager Mikel Arteta and academy manager Per Mertesacker.
The club have been light in this area over the last two months following the exit of former director of football operations Fahmy, with Edu currently juggling multiple negotiating roles.
He will be responsible for football operations in the first team and academy, all player contract management and negotiations, dealing with agents and relationships with football’s governing bodies. It is Garlick's expertise in the legal side of the game that is said to appeal to the Gunners.