Unai Emery believes Ivan Gazidis remains committed to Arsenal despite reports linking the Premier League club’s chief executive with AC Milan.
Gazidis has been at Arsenal since 2008 and played a key role in bringing Emery to Emirates Stadium as a replacement for long-standing manager Arsene Wenger.
Milan’s recent takeover by Elliott Management, after former owner Li Yonghong failed to repay a €32million debt, has led to speculation new owner Paul Singer could move to appoint Gazidis.
But Emery, who is preparing his players for the new season at the International Champions Cup in Singapore, said his relationship with Gazidis remains strong.
“He has been committed here for many, many years. I think he continues here because it is a big project here and his commitment to Arsenal is very strong.
“We are speaking about every decision for our club.”
Arsenal have been busy in the transfer market ahead of the 2018-19 season, bringing in Stephan Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi as they aim to improve on last season’s sixth-place Premier League finish.
Gazidis was born in Johannesburg, and moved to Manchester in the United Kingdom at the age of 4 and attended Manchester Grammar School, where he excelled as a football player, and was also a gifted drummer playing in at least two school-based rock bands. Being an adopted Mancunian from a young age, he supported Manchester City.
Later he attended St Edmund Hall at the University of Oxford, where he was twice awarded a blue playing football against the University of Cambridge in 1984 and 1985. He graduated with a degree in law in 1986 and in 1992 he moved to the United States to work for Latham & Watkins.
In 1994, he joined the founding management team of Major League Soccer, becoming in 2001 its deputy commissioner. He oversaw MLS’s key strategic and business decisions and its marketing arm, Soccer United Marketing, of which he was president.He also helped promote the Mexican Football Federation and the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
In November 2008 Gazidis accepted the post of chief executive of Arsenal, a post he formally took up from 1 January 2009. He succeeded former managing director Keith Edelman and was expected to take over many of the roles formerly undertaken by ex-vice-chairman David Dein.
In 2017-18, he oversaw significant personnel changes at the top of the club in preparation for then manager Arsene Wenger’s departure, which was announced in April 2018.
“The decision had to happen at some point,” Gazidis said during a press conference at the Emirates Stadium soon after it was announced Arsene Wenger would be leaving.
“I don’t think the club has ever been better prepared for that decision. Now it is time to look forward and I think we can do that with confidence.
“Arsene often said his aim was to leave the club in a better position than when he found it. Well, we are in a better place today than we could have ever imagined 22 years ago.
“The foundations of this club have never been stronger and this gives me great confidence as we begin to chart the path ahead.”