New roles for Gazidis

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has been appointed to two influential posts within UEFA, European football's governing body.

The 48-year-old, who last year earned £2.1million from his post at the Emirates Stadium, has been named by the European Club Association (ECA) as its representative on UEFA's primary policy-making body - the UEFA professional strategy council. As a consequence of that appointment, Gazidis will also take up a seat on the ECA executive board. The ECA represents the interests of Europe's top 207 teams, which includes 10 sides from the Barclays Premier League. Gazidis said: "I am delighted to be joining these important groups which are hugely influential in the future direction of the game in Europe. I am looking forward to representing the top European clubs in many important debates as we move ahead." ECA chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added: "Ivan's experience and distinct football knowledge will add a lot of value to ECA and European club football as a whole." The appointments come following the decision of Manchester United chief executive David Gill to step down from his position on the ECA executive board.