With Arsenal moving forward under Mikel Arteta and things looking up both on and off the pitch, it was arguably something of a surprise when it was announced that head of football, Raul Sanllehi, would be leaving the club.
An FA Cup win which gave the north Londoners a pathway into Europe via the Europa League was the best way for the Gunners to end their 2019/20 campaign, which makes Sanllehi’s departure all the more intriguing.
After a statement was released on the official Arsenal website on Saturday to confirm the news, Sanllehi released a statement of his own, cited by football.london.
“It is with mixed feelings I end my professional relationship with Arsenal…” he wrote.
“..There is no one to blame for this, other than Covid, and the need to adapt and remodel the club’s structure to the new times.
“I’m very comfortable knowing the club is in great hands, starting from a fully committed ownership to a second to none group of professionals filled with passion and commitment to make this great club successful.
“The foundations are solid and I’m convinced the dawn of a great era is just starting.”
Vinai Venkatesham, Arsenal’s Managing Director, will take over from Sanllehi in the position, and it remains to be seen as to whether that particular move proves successful.
It does at least offer the Gunners some sort of continuity, and given that they are hoping to build on Arteta’s successes of last season, that’s the best they can hope for at this stage.