This week, many reports surfaced claiming that Arsenal‘s head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, wished to leave the club and join Bayern Munich. While these reports remain unconfirmed, they are plenty enough to send fans into a panic.
Sven Mislintat Crucial for Arsenal Rebuild
The Problem
According to German football expert Raphael Honigstein, there are two major issues. The first is head of football Raul Sanllehi, who favours using his extensive range of contacts to secure new players.
This is in direct contradiction to the promises that former Arsenal executive Ivan Gazidis promised the Swede before moving to north London. Sven Mislintat had been given free rein to continue his analytics-based approach that found so much success at Borussia Dortmund.
The second issue is that of being overlooked as a candidate in the hunt for a technical director. More specifically, the fact that Mislintat feels that this omission is tantamount to a demotion.
The two problems have given the 46-year-old food for thought as to his future at the Emirates.
History of Success
While Sanllehi’s experience and quality are beyond question, his decision to seemingly marginalize Mislintat is not. After all, this is the man who identified and secured the two best summer signings at the club, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira.
The two players are cost-effective, young, promising players who will only get better at the club. Since Arsenal’s objective is not only to return to the Champions League but eventually challenge for a league title, these sorts of signings are crucial.
The Gunners’ self-sustaining model does not support the extreme spending found at other top clubs, meaning that finding value for money is the best way to attain this goal.
No offence to Raul Sanllehi, however, he does not have the sheer weight of experience of signing such players. Sven Mislintat, on the other hand, does.
He helped work similar magic at Dortmund and helped to end Bayern‘s Bundesliga dominance. Undervalued signings such as Robert Lewandowski, Shinji Kagawa and Mats Hummels were the key.
The ‘Liverpool Model’
Such a feat could also happen in England, even with the extreme wealth of certain big six rivals. Liverpool are the perfect example.
During their struggles just a few years ago, the Reds signed young, promising, undervalued players such as Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane and developed them into world-class attackers.
This is currently resulting in leading pre-season favourites Manchester City in the title race, despite them having spent far more money on their squad.
If Arsenal are to return to prominence, this is the model they must follow. While Sanllehi says players such as Denis Suarez may help achieve this goal, the likes of Guendouzi and Torreira are better value for money.
Even if, as in the case of Coutinho, these signings eventually leave, the club would make a large profit. Such funds could then be reinvested in the club, on a player such as Virgil van Dijk, further aiding the main objective.
What was the point in bringing in Sven Mislintat, Head of Recruitment, if we aren’t actually going to let him recruit anybody?
— James (@JECook96) January 15, 2019
The Silver Lining
Contrary to popular reports, Honigstein’s mysterious club source confirms that not only are Unai Emery and Sven Mislintat happy working together, but Bayern’s approach has not affected the situation.
If one of the world’s biggest clubs cannot pry Mislintat away from Arsenal, then surely the club can convince him to stay. While that would mean a shift in mentality from Sanllehi, and perhaps a promotion, neither stumbling block is insurmountable.
Arsenal must not be pennywise yet pound foolish. Losing Mislintat today would result in many more issues coming about tomorrow and perhaps an even longer wait for an elusive Premiership title.
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