Arsenal identify Steve Round to fill director of football role as shake-up looms

Arsenal are considering turning to Aston Villa director of football Steve Round to lead the restructuring of their backroom team.

The 47-year-old has been with the Championship club for 14 months and has been credited with playing a role in the club's promotion push.

Round would move to Arsenal as their new sporting director and though his role would differ from his current position at Villa Park he would oversee negotiations, transfers and contracts, according to The Daily Mail.

Ivan Gazidis is keen to overhaul operations at The Emirates Stadium amid criticism of the club's recent recruitment and their lack of competitiveness on the field.

Dick Law, who played a key role in Arsenal's transfer operations, left in September while chief scout Steve Rowley has "had enough" of life in north London and wants to leave.

The record 13-time FA Cup winners had thought to be keen on bringing in Barcelona's sporting director Raul Sanllehi to fill the role of sporting director which has essentially been filled by Law.

Sanllehi had been responsible for signing the likes of Neymar, Luis Suarez, Ivan Rakitic and Alexis Sanchez but had been made a scapegoat for the Catalans' struggles last summer.

Reports in Spain claim Arsenal have sounded out the Barca chief over moving to north London, which could be assisted by his close relationship with chief executive Gazidis.

Formerly of Derby County and Nuneaton Borough during his playing days, Round operated under Steve McLaren at Middlesbrough and then with the England senior team.

Following a role alongside Sam Allardyce at Newcastle United, he spent five years under David Moyes at Everton before following the Scot to Manchester United.

But he departed Old Trafford when Moyes was sacked just eight months into his six-year contract and did not return to football until being installed as director of football by Villa in September 2016.