Arsenal have announced the departure of Raul Sanllehi in a huge twist in the summer transfer window.
The head of football will see his role taken over by managing director Vinai Venkatesham.
It leaves uncertainty surrounding the summer business of manager Mikel Arteta as he looks to strengthen his squad.
And whilst the impact on individual deals is hard to determine, it certainly seems to make a move for Philippe Coutinho look increasingly unlikely.
Coutinho wants a move back to the Premier League and has been linked with a move to the Emirates.
Sanllehi’s role in negotiations has reportedly been crucial.
He used to work for Barcelona and was involved in the deal to sign Coutinho from Liverpool in a huge deal before he left for north London.
According to reports in Spain, Sanllehi was the driving force behind talks over Coutinho due to his existing relationships at Barcelona and his strong links with his agent, Kia Joorabchian.
Joorabchian clarified his role regarding Arsenal last week but suggested some loyalty to Sanllehi as he took aim at his predecessor, Sven Mislintat.
And whilst Joorabchian still has a strong relationship with people at the club, including Edu, the departure of Sanllehi could indicate a shift away from the agent-led recruitment for which they have been criticised.
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Spending big wages on Willian and Mesut Ozil’s refusal to leave before his big-money contract expires also contribute to the many reasons a move for Coutinho looks unlikely.
The Brazilian put on a show as a late substitute for Bayern Munich by scoring twice and setting one up in their 8-2 thrashing of parent club Barcelona on Friday night.
That would certainly have put clubs on red alert and served as a reminder of his talents - but Sanllehi’s departure from Arsenal is seemingly another twist which distances Arsenal further from a move for the playmaker.
