New Arsenal staff member issues statement after backroom overhaul as appointment confirmed

Arsenal have made a number of changes to Mikel Arteta's backroom team this season and the latest of which has now been confirmed

Arsenal's new Head of Performance Antonio Gomez has confirmed he has now started work at the club.

The 49-year-old, who has arrived from Braga, has also previously worked for Flamengo, the Poland national team and Barcelona.

The Spaniard has already been getting stuck into his new role this week in Arsenal's warm-weather training camp in Girona.

He posted in a public statement on Instagram: "I am thrilled to begin a new professional chapter as Head of Performance at Arsenal Football Club.

"I approach this challenge with the same philosophy that has guided my career: working with humility, learning every day, and contributing in every way possible to help the team and the people within it perform at their best.

"I want to thank all the clubs, colleagues, players, and professionals with whom I have shared my journey so far. Every experience has been instrumental in reaching this moment.

"A new challenge begins at one of the most important clubs in the football world. Really looking forward to work and keep moving forward."

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He is one of several new staff arrivals at Arsenal this summer. Arnaldo Abrantes has joined the Gunners from Aston Villa to effectively replace Dr Zafar Iqbal following the latter's departure.

Meanwhile, Eneko Angulo has joined from Real Betis to become the Gunners’ new Head of Rehabilitation.

Upon his departure, Iqbal, who was part of the Mikel Arteta's Premier League title-winning set-up, set the record straight on his exit amid reports he'd been relieved of his duties.

He stated: "While there has been speculation online around the reasons for my departure, the simple truth is that after the success of this season the time is right for both parties to move in a new direction."

Arsenal are now ramping up preparations for the new season ahead of their next pre-season friendly against Girona tomorrow.

They will then head to Dublin, where they will take on La Liga side Real Betis in a friendly at the Aviva Stadium.

Arteta is determined to drive the club towards more silverware, stating during a recent interview with Arsenal's website: "This has to be the start and this has to be the standard.

"Excellence has to be our standard and this has to drive us to attack the future. The way we behave daily with more and more determination and ambition because we’ve shown that we’ve got it."