Ivan Gazidis quits Arsenal to join AC Milan as club appoint Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham as replacements
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IVAN GAZIDIS has quit as chief executive of Arsenal to take up a £3.6million-a-year role with AC Milan.
Gazidis has ended months of dithering over his position to hand in his resignation, and will walk away from the Emirates at the end of October.
And the Gunners have been quit to announce his replacements - with Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham stepping up to jointly head up a new management structure.
Sanllehi has been working as head of football relations, but makes the step up to become head of football working above Unai Emery.
And chief commercial officer Venkatesham has been promoted to managing director to cover the business side of the operation following Gazidis' departure.
Josh Kroenke, deputy chairman of Arsenal’s majority owner Kroenke Sports and Entertainment UK, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Ivan. We will miss the wisdom, insight, and energy he brought to our club on a daily basis over the past decade.
"We are confident we have outstanding people in Raul and Vinai, and we look forward to working with them and coach Unai Emery to continue to move the club forward on and off the pitch.”
Sanllehi joined Arsenal in February having spent 16 years as the director of football and is charged with continuing to develop the football side of the club in the post-Arsene Wenger era.
Venkatesham has impressed in the commercial side of operations after the Gunners nabbed him from the London 2012 organising team in 2010.
Sanllehi said: “Although I joined Arsenal just months ago, I've felt embraced by this great club and part of its family from the first day.
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"I will do everything possible to maintain our strong values which will be as fundamental to our future as they have been in our past.
"Vinai and I will need everyone's help, to do everything right and secure the success everyone connected to Arsenal wants."
Venkatesham added: “From the day I joined Arsenal I have always considered it a privilege to serve this great football club, so it’s an honour to take up the position of managing director and lead the club alongside Raul.
"Together we will work tirelessly with the extraordinary staff we have at Arsenal to respect and enhance our unique history, heritage and values; with the overall objective to bring success to our millions of fans all around the world and make them proud of their club. "
Gazidis said: “For the last 10 years I have been privileged to dedicate myself to this great club. Arsenal is entering a new chapter and I have done everything I can to ensure that it is strongly placed to take on that challenge.
“We have been building on the club’s progressive social values, leading the way on the women’s game, diversity and inclusion, and establishing the Arsenal Foundation. This will remain central to the club’s philosophy.
“Although it is very hard to do - the hardest decision of my life - I believe that, after 10 years, it is the right time for me to step aside to allow new leadership, energy and ideas to take the club forward into this exciting new era.
"I believe in the positive force of change, both for me and for the club. I am excited to see what the future holds for this great club and I am energised by a new personal challenge with AC Milan."