Arsenal are urging chief executive Ivan Gazidis to resist overtures from AC Milan and guide the restructured club in the post-Arsene Wenger era.
Although majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has the final say on big decisions, the significant overhaul that has taken place in the past year is seen as Gazidis’s brainchild.
The process of transitioning away from the authority Arsene Wenger enjoyed to a more continental structure, where power and responsibility is divided, began towards the end of the Frenchman’s tenure, leading to widely reported friction between him and Gazidis.
Something of a power struggle developed but with Wenger now departed and Unai Emery installed as ‘head coach’, Gazidis has effected a sizeable change in the appointment of several backroom staff.
There are nine new department chiefs with Gazidis, head of recruitment Sven Mislintat and head of football relations Raul Sanllehi leading the day-to-day decision-making.
AC Milan’s approach for Gazidis comes at an interesting time. With Emery now in place, it could be argued Gazidis has completed his principal task, all the while helping to more than double the share price of the club he joined in January 2009.
Last October, Kroenke offered to buy Alisher Usmanov’s 30 per cent stake for £525million - £28,000 per share - which is a huge increase on the £11,750 the American paid in April 2011 to take control.
However, it is understood senior figures at the club are keen for Gazidis to remain at the helm to support Emery and manage any teething problems that arise from the restructuring.
Rumours circulated on Thursday night that Gazidis was on the brink of agreeing a deal with Milan but the club told Standard Sport no final decision has yet been taken. Josh Kroenke, Stan’s son and a fellow director, has taken more of an interest in the club’s affairs as he spends more time in London but Gazidis is hugely respected internally despite facing criticism from supporters in recent seasons, often relating to Arsenal’s transfer business, Wenger’s shortcomings or his own financial remuneration.
It was revealed last October that Gazidis earned £2.6m, including a £919,000 bonus, despite Arsenal failing to qualify for the Champions League.
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Milan are likely to be able to offer a significant increase on that salary, however, and speculation in the city suggests that the Italians could offer him some form of equity as a future pay day should the American hedge fund, Elliott Management, which owns the club, sell in the future.
Elliott Management last month took over control of the club and injected €50million (£44.6m).
Milan have been banned from this season’s Europa League due to a breach of Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules and although Forbes lists them as the 17th most valuable club, a huge financial restructuring is required.
Gazidis has impressed Elliott founder Paul Singer’s son, Gordon, who is an avid Arsenal fan.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football
