Port Adelaide's fitness boss Darren Burgess is reportedly set to leave the club and head to English Premier League giants Arsenal.
Burgess, in his second stint at Port Adelaide, will head to London and lead Arsenal's fitness program, media outlets have reported.
The highly rated Burgess will report directly to Wenger but is expected to be given a wide-ranging brief to include overall control of medical, fitness, psychology and performance analysis at the club, as well as working with the academy.
It appears that Burgess's planned role encompasses everything bar player recruitment and scouting, and is a sign that Wenger has won his battle to ensure Arsenal do not appoint a director of football.
It will not be the first time Burgess has worked in soccer. He previously worked at Liverpool (head of fitness and conditioning from 2010 to 2012) and before that for the Socceroos (head of fitness from 2007 to 2010).
Burgess went to Liverpool with fellow Socceroos backroom staff Dr Peter Brukner and physio Phil Coles.
The trio were poached to set up the club's sports science and sports medicine department.
After his time at Liverpool he returned to work at Port Adelaide, where he had previously been head fitness coach between 2004 and 2008.
His current role at the Power is as high-performance manager. A host of other AFL clubs sought his services when returning from Liverpool.
A spokesperson for Port Adelaide would not confirm or deny that Burgess was leaving and said the club would likely comment on the situation on Monday.
Burgess in contracted to Port Adelaide until 2018. He broke his last contract with the Power to join the Socceroos in 2007.
Fairfax Media reported in 2014 that his contract to 2018 would see him earn $2 million.
The loss of Burgess would be a mid-season blow for the Power, who sit fourth on the AFL ladder.
Burgess joins Arsenal at a tumultuous time in the club's history. Despite winning the FA Cup this year many of the club's supporters are furious that long-time manager Arsene Wenger has signed a contract extension until 2019.
The club has not won the Premier League since the 2003-2004 season and has been lambasted for what some claim is a less than ambitious approach to player transfers.
They have also been notorious for not being enough of a physical side to win the Premier League.
with UK Daily Telegraph
