Unai Emery remains in the dark about the future of Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, even though it is now almost two months since AC Milan’s interest in the club’s most senior executive first emerged.
Gazidis led the decision to appoint Emery as head coach and has overseen numerous changes in personnel at Arsenal over the past year, most notably Arsene Wenger’s departure, but it is his own future that is now shrouded in doubt.
English Media reports that no decision has been made and that, while Arsenal remain hopeful that Gazidis will stay, the offer from Milan is being actively considered still.
Emery says that he has only ever spoken with Gazidis about Arsenal. “Every conversation with me is speaking about us,” he said. “About our performance. About our ideas. Our process. Then, for his future we didn’t speak.”
It looks increasingly likely that Ivan Gazidis will leave his position at Arsenal to become the new CEO at AC Milan.
Elliott Management, the US hedge fund that owns the Italian club, identified the 53-year-old as their number one target for the position when they completed a takeover in July and the two parties have been negotiating a suitably agreeable financial package ever since.
After something of a stand-off, the big Italian publications reported yesterday that a breakthrough has been made.
Gazidis has a 12 month notice period at the Emirates, but it won’t be in Arsenal’s interest to stand in his way. If he wants out, he’ll be allowed to go.