Arsenal’s head of medical services Gary O’Driscoll is moving to Manchester United.

The highly-regarded doctor joined Arsenal in 2009 and has become a key figure at the north London club. 

O’Driscoll, 52, was on the verge of signing for Liverpool in 2020 before opting to stay. He has has also turned down other opportunities to leave.

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However, United have managed to prise him from the Emirates Stadium in a switch that is expected to be completed later this summer.

A transition period will allow O’Driscoll to help integrate a successor, which is a blow to Arsenal but has unfolded amicably.

The Englishman is extremely popular at Arsenal and was not seeking to go, though it appears the United chance proved too good to refuse and also enables O’Driscoll to move closer to his family in the north-west.

United have needed to fill their vacancy since Steve McNally departed in December 2022 and was replaced by former Liverpool doctor Jim Moxon on an interim basis.

Moxon could remain part of the set-up under O’Driscoll, who previously worked in rugby and is viewed among the best operators in his field.

The appointment follows a rigorous search that saw United use headhunters to scour the market and produce several top-level options. O’Driscoll’s professional credentials, experience, personality and character are said to have made him the stand-out candidate.

During O’Driscoll’s time at Arsenal they have won four FA Cups and finished second in the Premier League last season, returning to the Champions League after a six-year absence.

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(Photo: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

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