Arsenal have announced that Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham will lead the club following a decision by chief executive Ivan Gazidis to join Milan.
A statement on Arsenal’s website on Tuesday confirmed the 54-year-old will begin his role in Italy on 1 December, with Vinai Venkatesham set to assume a new role as managing director.
Josh Kroenke, deputy chairman of Arsenal’s majority owner Kroenke Sports and Entertainment UK, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Ivan.
We will miss the wisdom, insight, and energy he brought to our club on a daily basis over the past decade. We are confident we have outstanding people in Raul and Vinai, and we look forward to working with them and coach Unai Emery to continue to move the club forward on and off the pitch.”
Gazidis has worked for Arsenal since 2009 and played a major role in introducing roles such as Sanllehi’s, as well as that of head of recruitment – held by Sven Mislintat.
Though Gazidis has worked at the club for close to ten years, Arsenal fans did not seemed bothered with his departure…
Ivan Gazidis not being replaced at Arsenal. Makes you wonder what he did for that £2.5m!
— tim payton (@timpayton) September 18, 2018
Ivan Gazidis' time at arsenal has been average at best. He has had a nothing career and will only be remebered for cleaning up the mess he created by offering wenger that contract extension. Ciao ciao 👋👋
— UberGunners (@UberGunners) September 18, 2018
Trust Arsenal fans to serve this kind of Banter..
Ivan Gazidis leaving Arsenal for more money. Arsene Wenger never snaked Arsenal like this. Another reason why you should never trust a man with no hair over the one with hair.
— Alan (@305Gunner) September 18, 2018
Wenger to Milan too?
Ivan Gazidis to AC Milan? Then expect Arsene Wenger to be the next coach at AC Milan!
— Leo (@Leo_Gbolahan) September 18, 2018
And to cap it all…
Stewart Robson (ex-Arsenal midfielder) on Ivan Gazidis: “His time at Arsenal will be seen as a failure. There are a lot of things I think he’s done wrong. What Gazidis is very good at doing is he’s a great talker & he’s a very good networker.” [talkSPORT] #afc pic.twitter.com/xu1V22Ukxp
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) September 17, 2018