Former Arsenal star Yossi Benayoun has reportedly emerged as one of the contenders for the sporting director role at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have been exploring options to replace Edu, and it now looks like Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Berta is expected to finalise things with the north London giants this week, as per Gianluca Di Marzio and others.
However, it seems Arsenal also contacted Benayoun at some point, with the former Israel international admitting he’d be interested in a director role in the Premier League.
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That’s according to Football Insider, who add that Benayoun had not actually received a formal offer from his old club Arsenal.
Benayoun had a spell on loan at Arsenal for one season, while he also played for the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool in his time in English football during his playing days.
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Benayoun has worked as a director for the Israel national team since his retirement, but he recently left that role and seems keen on an opportunity in England.
“Of course I would be interested in a sporting director role in England, but I am also a pro licensed coach. Let’s see what comes up,” the 44-year-old told Football Insider.
Berta is certainly more proven than Benayoun, so it’s perhaps not surprising that he’s now emerging as the favourite to replace Edu.
Still, Edu had a connection to Arsenal after spending some of his playing days there, and that can be an important factor for such a role.
Each club has a unique culture and history, and it’s widely felt that Edu did a great job restoring the club to being more like what it used to be, even with major trophies still missing.
Benayoun only spent one year at Arsenal, but it’s perhaps not surprising that they at least considered him as one option, even if not the outstanding candidate.
