Arsenal’s sporting director to pull off transfer masterstroke by poaching Real Madrid asset

Arsenal are reportedly bringing Real Madrid scout Paulo Xavier to the club as part of their efforts to strengthen the scouting department.

Sporting director Edu Gaspar is actively building a robust scouting team to support the club’s transfer strategy. According to The Athletic, Xavier has left his role as Real Madrid’s Latin America scout to join Arsenal, where he will focus on South America alongside two other club scouts. Xavier, previously a key member of chief scout Juni Calafat’s team at Madrid, is expected to officially announce his new role with Arsenal in the coming days. Notably, he previously worked at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) with Edu between 2015 and 2017.

Edu Gaspar, the sporting director at Arsenal, is credited with orchestrating Paulo Xavier’s appointment at the club. This move marks Xavier’s return to working with a Premier League club after a brief stint at Manchester United in 2017 before joining Real Madrid. The collaboration between Edu and Xavier adds further depth to Arsenal’s scouting department as they continue to enhance their strategic approach in the transfer market.

The Gunners have strategically tapped into the South American market in recent seasons, securing signings such as Gabriel Martinelli from Ituano in 2019 and Marquinhos from Sao Paulo in 2022. Arsenal continue to explore opportunities in the region, with recent links to players like Endrick, who is expected to join Madrid next summer, and Gabriel Moscardo. This approach aligns with the club’s broader strategy of identifying and recruiting talent from diverse footballing regions, and Paulo Xavier will help with that.

This could be a masterstroke from Edu, once again, as the January transfer window creeps upon us.