Arsenal Technical Director James Ellis Set To Leave Club

Arsenal are poised for another shake-up in their football operations, with technical director James Ellis preparing to depart after barely half a year in the post. Ellis, who was promoted from head of recruitment last summer to help stabilise the club’s hierarchy, will leave the Emirates Stadium just as the Gunners continue to overhaul their front-office structure.

The 37-year-old’s exit comes amid a period of flux that began when former sporting director Edu stepped away in November 2024, followed quickly by the departure of his assistant, Jason Ayto. Ellis’s elevation was intended to provide continuity while newly appointed sporting director Andrea Berta focused on first-team transfer strategy. With Ellis now heading for the exit, that plan appears to have been abandoned.

During his short tenure, Ellis concentrated on academy recruitment, overseeing the acquisitions of the Quintero twins and Irish youth international Victor Ozhianvuna. He also persuaded highly rated teenager Max Dowman to sign long-term terms, a move viewed internally as a coup for the club’s future pipeline. Ellis had additionally been tasked with identifying a successor to academy manager Per Mertesacker, who announced he will leave at season’s end; that search now falls to remaining staff.

Club sources indicate that the technical-director role was revived specifically to retain Ellis when Berta arrived from Atlético Madrid. Its impending removal suggests Arsenal’s leadership believes the function is redundant within the revised organisational chart. The decision underscores a broader effort to consolidate recruitment and development under Berta’s sole direction as the club seeks clarity after months of personnel turnover.

Arsenal have yet to confirm the departure officially, but the development marks the latest chapter in a sweeping restructuring designed to streamline decision-making and sharpen the club’s competitive edge both domestically and in Europe.