Kvara, Kim and beyond: Arsenal snap up Maurizio Micheli from Napoli
He played a key role in identifying Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Kim Min-jae for Napoli.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 23 December 2025
Maurizio Micheli has left Napoli and begun work at Arsenal, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Napoli lose Maurizio Micheli to Arsenal as Italian influence builds at London club
Micheli, Napoli’s former head scout, has joined the English Premier League club’s recruitment and scouting structure ahead of the January transfer window.
The 57-year-old has already started in north London, with sources indicating he is working under Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta.
Arsenal have not made a public announcement, a common approach for off-pitch appointments in the Premier League.
Micheli departs after years in Napoli’s scouting department. He played a big part in identifying recruits who became key assets on the pitch and in the market.
Arsenal’s backroom has become increasingly Italian-led since Berta’s arrival, with the club continuing to reshape its recruitment operations.
🚨❤️🤍 Maurizio Micheli has started his work at Arsenal as part of recruitment and scouting team under Andrea Berta.
All documents were signed earlier this month to let Micheli leave Napoli and try new chapter at #AFC, as agreed in November. pic.twitter.com/qYHJgaABqM
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 23, 2025
Micheli is expected to support scouting and talent identification, adding experience from Serie A and a reputation for finding value outside the biggest markets.
Reports in Italy describe him as taking a senior technical and scouting remit, as Arsenal aim to sharpen decision-making across youth and first-team recruitment.
The move comes as Arsenal prepare for January, with squad depth closely monitored and planning for potential additions already under way.
Micheli’s impressive track record
Micheli began in scouting with Udinese and later worked at Brescia, where he is credited with spotting Marek Hamsik before his move to Italy.
He joined Napoli in 2010, later returning in 2018 to lead the scouting department. This was after spells with Hellas Verona and Bologna.
At Napoli, he was credited with identifying and signing Kim Min-jae and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Both were major signings for the Partenopei, who helped deliver the 2022-23 Scudetto.
Kvaratskhelia was later sold to Paris Saint-Germain for a fee reported at about £59million.
Arsenal’s recruitment department has seen significant change since Edu Gaspar’s departure.
Micheli’s arrival is viewed as another specialist addition at Arsenal, intended to align scouting, analytics and sporting strategy.
With Arsenal desperate to end their title drought, they are pulling out all the stops in their pursuit of glory.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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