Arsenal eyeing Barcelona coach Pep Segura as new Head of Youth Development

The Catalan coach spent some time with Liverpool but is currently working with the Nou Camp club at their famed La Masia academy

Pep Segura, formerly of Liverpool, could return to the UK with Arsenal (md.faisalzaman/Creative Commons)

Arsenal are considering a move for Barcelona’s Pep Segura as new Head of Youth, but could yet face competition from a series of leading Premier League clubs.

The Emirates hierarchy have been pondering alterations to leadership roles in their academy set-up for a number of months, particularly due to disappointing results by their sides. The club got knocked out of the 2016-17 Youth Cup at just the third-round stage, in a 1-0 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, a performance considered unacceptable given the quality of the player in the set-up.

Arsenal have been monitoring a series of options to come in and head up their entire academy structure, but Segura has emerged as a leading candidate.

The 56-year-old Catalan is one of the most highly-rated youth coaches in the game, and was previously Technical Manager at Liverpool’s Academy from 2009 to 2012, before moving to Barcelona as Head of their Professional Phase.

The role involves overseeing the production of players through the Catalan club’s famed La Masia youth set-up, as well as the effective reserve side of Barcelona B, and Segura has earned a lot of admiration for his work done in the last year. Both Barcelona B and Juvenil A, the side that represent the final stage of progression for youth players, are currently top of their leagues.

Chelsea had previously made an informal approach when Segura had just gone back to Catalonia, and he is known to be respected by many high-profile officials in the Premier League, who now want to put proper shape on amply-funded academies with experienced leadership.