New head of recruitment Sven Mislintat has explained why he has joined Arsenal - explaining Gunners fans should thank Thomas Tuchel.

The German, who has been key to Dortmund's success over the last 10 years, will start work at the Emirates next month.

Arsenal have agreed to pay around £1.75million to bring Mislintat to north London.

Mislintat has an excellent reputation for spotting and recruiting players, with Shinji Kagawa, Robert Lewandowski and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang among his success stories.

But he also endured a very public falling-out with ex-Dortmund chief Tuchel in 2016, which the 45-year-old says played a key part in his deciding to leave the Westfalenstadion.

Mislintat has been a key figure in Dortmund's rise (
Image:
DPA Picture Alliance)
Mislintat experienced a very public falling out with Tuchel (
Image:
Reuters)

The pair fell out over a failed move for Spanish midfielder Oliver Torres, with Mario Gotze joining BVB instead and Torres heading to Porto.

Mislintat was banned from the training ground by Tuchel, despite actually seeing his role upgraded by Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc.

And while he has rejected advances from elsewhere in the intervening period, the man known as "Diamond Eye" admits it influenced his thinking when electing to move to England.

"I would probably never have thought of engaging with other clubs [had it not happened]," admitted Mislintat, speaking to SportBild.

Mislintat has agreed to join the Gunners (
Image:
Bongarts/Getty Images)

"The ban initiated by the former coach to enter the training ground and having to stay away from the inner circle of players, the staff, and many friends, with whom I have worked closely for years, greatly influenced my thinking.

"In all that time, Michael and Aki [Hans-Joachim Watzke] have always been behind me. They always included me in the mentioned, complicated time, when it came to setting up the scouting so that it will always work on a very, very high level, regardless of people [Tuchel].

"That was very important to me."

Mislintat also says that his loyalties to BVB meant he was never keen on remaining in the Bundesliga with a rival club.

"I have had offers in the years before, but never really thought about changing myself. I was born and raised here, I've been working for the club since 2006, I'm a Borussian through and through. "

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