"Arsene Wenger had come to the conclusion that changes needed to be made and told Arsenal to find the best person in the world. And I think they've found him."

It's not every day that new staff spark as much excitement as a big-name transfer, but Arsenal fans will be buoyed by Peter Brukner's glowing review of their new fitness guru, Darren Burgess.

With Arsene Wenger refusing to acquiesce to Ivan Gazidis' calls for a director of football, the manager has made backroom changes in an apparent effort to move with the times.

'Invincibles' goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has been brought in despite - or quite possibly because of - his outspoken nature, though Burgess looks set to be the key addition as 'head of high performance'.

The hiring of Burgess in a new role created specifically for him speaks volumes as to the responsibility placed on the Australian's shoulders.

Former Liverpool doctor Peter Brukner - who worked with Burgess for the Australian national team before moving on to Anfield together after the 2010 World Cup - told Standard Sport that Arsenal have found the perfect man for the job.

'The best in the business'

"I was approached prior to the World Cup by Liverpool," Brukner said. "I told them I was only coming if I could bring two people - one was Darren and the other was Phil Coles, the Socceroos' physio.

"I can certainly say he's the best fitness person I've ever worked with, and obviously I've been in the game for a long time. He really stands out as the best in the business.

"He's got a fairly unique mix of skills. He's got all the knowledge and the science, he's done a PHD, but he's also very practical with vast experience.

"He's very hands-on, he likes to get out on the park and take the testing and warm-ups.

Arsenal on tour in Australia - In pictures 36 show all Arsenal on tour in Australia - In pictures 1/36 EPA 2/36 AFP/Getty Images 3/36 EPA 4/36 Getty Images 5/36 Getty Images 6/36 Getty Images 7/36 Getty Images 8/36 Getty Images 9/36 Getty Images 10/36 Getty Images 11/36 Reuters 12/36 Getty Images 13/36 Getty Images 14/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monreal of Arsenal launch the new Puma Arsenal 3rd kit on Fort Dennison Arsenal FC via Getty Images 15/36 Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil of Arsenal launch the new Puma Arsenal 3rd kit on Fort Dennison Arsenal FC via Getty Images 16/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal launches the new Puma Arsenal 3rd kit on Fort Dennison Arsenal FC via Getty Images 17/36 Laurent Koscielny wears the Arsenal 3rd kit for the 2017/2018 season as he stands in front of the Sydney Opera House REUTERS 18/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alex Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monrea wearingArsenal's 3rd kit for the 2017/2018 season in front of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in Sydney REUTERS 19/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Oezil and Nacho Monreal pose for a photo with children as they display the team's 3RD kit on Fort Denison in Sydney EPA 20/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Oezil and Nacho Monreal pose for a photo as they display the team's 3rd kit on Fort Denison in Sydney, Australia EPA 21/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alex Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monreal greet children as they arrive wearing Arsenal'S 3rd kit for the 2017/2018 season at the historical Fort Denison in Sydney Harbour, Australia REUTERS 22/36 Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette before a training session at the Korarah Ova Arsenal FC via Getty Images 23/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal before a training session at the Korarah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 24/36 Donyell Malen, Reiss Nelson, Alexandre Lacazette and Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 25/36 Alexandre Lacazette during a training session at the Korarah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 26/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 27/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 28/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 29/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 30/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 31/36 Alexandre Lacazette meets fans of his new club in Sydney Arsenal FC via Getty Images 32/36 Arsenal's Theo Walcott under the Sydney Harbour Bridge Arsenal FC via Getty Images 33/36 New South Wales Minister for Trade and Industry Niall Blair presents Arsenal football players Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and manager Arsene Wenger with a surf board in front of the Sydney Opera House AFP/Getty Images 34/36 The Arsenal squad walk under the Sydney Harbour Bridge Arsenal FC via Getty Images 35/36 Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Petr Cech pose in front of the Sydney Opera House during an Official Welcome to Sydney for Arsenal FC at Museum of Contemporary Art Getty Images 36/36 Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker of Arsenal, Wanderers coach Tony Popovic, Sydney FC Coach Graham Arnold, Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger, David Carney of Sydney FC, Robbie Cornthwaite and Oriol Riera of Western Sydney Wanderers and Andrew Redmayne of Sydney FC, pose in front of the Sydney Opera House Getty Images 1/36 EPA 2/36 AFP/Getty Images 3/36 EPA 4/36 Getty Images 5/36 Getty Images 6/36 Getty Images 7/36 Getty Images 8/36 Getty Images 9/36 Getty Images 10/36 Getty Images 11/36 Reuters 12/36 Getty Images 13/36 Getty Images 14/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monreal of Arsenal launch the new Puma Arsenal 3rd kit on Fort Dennison Arsenal FC via Getty Images 15/36 Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil of Arsenal launch the new Puma Arsenal 3rd kit on Fort Dennison Arsenal FC via Getty Images 16/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal launches the new Puma Arsenal 3rd kit on Fort Dennison Arsenal FC via Getty Images 17/36 Laurent Koscielny wears the Arsenal 3rd kit for the 2017/2018 season as he stands in front of the Sydney Opera House REUTERS 18/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alex Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monrea wearingArsenal's 3rd kit for the 2017/2018 season in front of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge in Sydney REUTERS 19/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Oezil and Nacho Monreal pose for a photo with children as they display the team's 3RD kit on Fort Denison in Sydney EPA 20/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alexandre Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Oezil and Nacho Monreal pose for a photo as they display the team's 3rd kit on Fort Denison in Sydney, Australia EPA 21/36 Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Alex Lacazette, Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monreal greet children as they arrive wearing Arsenal'S 3rd kit for the 2017/2018 season at the historical Fort Denison in Sydney Harbour, Australia REUTERS 22/36 Sead Kolasinac and Alexandre Lacazette before a training session at the Korarah Ova Arsenal FC via Getty Images 23/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal before a training session at the Korarah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 24/36 Donyell Malen, Reiss Nelson, Alexandre Lacazette and Ainsley Maitland-Niles of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 25/36 Alexandre Lacazette during a training session at the Korarah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 26/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 27/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 28/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 29/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 30/36 Alexandre Lacazette of Arsenal during the Arsenal Training Session at Koragah Oval Arsenal FC via Getty Images 31/36 Alexandre Lacazette meets fans of his new club in Sydney Arsenal FC via Getty Images 32/36 Arsenal's Theo Walcott under the Sydney Harbour Bridge Arsenal FC via Getty Images 33/36 New South Wales Minister for Trade and Industry Niall Blair presents Arsenal football players Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and manager Arsene Wenger with a surf board in front of the Sydney Opera House AFP/Getty Images 34/36 The Arsenal squad walk under the Sydney Harbour Bridge Arsenal FC via Getty Images 35/36 Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Petr Cech pose in front of the Sydney Opera House during an Official Welcome to Sydney for Arsenal FC at Museum of Contemporary Art Getty Images 36/36 Petr Cech, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker of Arsenal, Wanderers coach Tony Popovic, Sydney FC Coach Graham Arnold, Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger, David Carney of Sydney FC, Robbie Cornthwaite and Oriol Riera of Western Sydney Wanderers and Andrew Redmayne of Sydney FC, pose in front of the Sydney Opera House Getty Images

"The other really fine quality he's got is his people skills and management. Players relate very well to him, players want to work for him.

"It can be a bit of a thankless task - footballers just want to play, they don't want to do all this other stuff like go to the gym and fitness work and so on.

"He's just got that knack of getting people to do things, which I think is a real skill.

"Players like him, and similarly he works well with coaches. He's very knowledgeable but humble and unassuming. He's not in-your-face, but he'll stick to his guns and tell you what he thinks. He's honest.

"He really is a very impressive guy. He's been like that everywhere he's gone, he's been a great success, much respected and regarded."

Burgess' role

Brukner says that the former Port Adelaide fitness chief will be expected to perform the same role the former had at Liverpool, in terms of "overseeing the whole operation" of doctors, fitness experts and physios - a position he can excel in.

"He's finished up in very senior roles. At Port Adelaide he's really the head of the whole performance unit, and similarly at Arsenal he's running the whole show.

"I think he'll do very well. Not many clubs have these overall heads of performance or sports medicine. They tend to leave everyone to their own thing, and that can often be problematic.

"The role of leadership is really important, the same as the manager is the leader of the coaching team. If you have a really good leader of the performance staff that's a huge advantage: coordinating, inspiring and pushing everyone to their limits.

"They're a team within a team, and if they're not working as a team - with turf wars, egos, or talking to the manager behind someone else's back - that's disastrous for any sporting teams.

"Strong leadership is really important in the performance team and in the football team, and that's what Darren will provide."

'The key relationship'

Wenger's desire for control in all aspects of life at Arsenal is well documented, with his reluctance towards a director of football forcing the club into a rethink despite handing him a new two-year contract.

Brukner says that Burgess was aware of the potential pitfalls before meeting Wenger, but was left impressed by the manager's desire for change.

"They needed to do something, and if you're going to do something, then you get the best person around" Peter Brukner

"I remember speaking to Darren about that before he met Wenger a few weeks ago. Obviously that's a concern, what sort of relationship you have and what sort of respect and role he sees for you.

"After he met with Arsene he was very positive - he was very confident it was something Arsene wanted. [Wenger] was concerned about this area of fitness and felt there was room for improvement.

"Darren felt that Arsenal were lagging behind and were concerned about high injury rates pretty regularly. Arsene had come to the conclusion that changes needed to be made and told the club to find the best person in the world. And I think they've found him."

'GPS expert'

Arsenal's injury record is a well-worn source of frustration for fans, with the Gunners suffering predictable crises in recent years as the demands of competing in the Premier League and Europe invariably take their toll.

But while Brukner rightly states that Burgess is no miracle worker, what he offers is not just a detailed scientific approach, but - crucially - the expert application of statistics.

"What [Burgess] brings is a lot more science and better coordination between all the staff. Just those simple things can make a huge difference.

"If he's got the respect of the manager then he can have an influence. Load is the big issue these days.

"Previously that was just a lot of guesswork, but what Darren and many others use now with monitoring is very scientific.

"Darren is probably the world's expert on GPS monitoring in sport. He was doing it before anyone else and I think he understands the practicalities.

"It's all very well to do it, and everyone does it, but it's the way that you use that information that makes people stand out to be better than others. He uses that information very well.

"I'd be confident that things will improve [at Arsenal], but you're certainly not going to be injury-free."

'Influence and respect'

Wenger has also taken criticism in the recent past for his apparent reluctance to rest the likes of Alexis Sanchez, with the Chile star often playing through the pain.

Sanchez cuts a dejected figure when on bench duty, while Arsenal fans reacted incredulously to him coming on to play on a 3G pitch against Sutton with the FA Cup tie already won - a surface which Danny Welbeck didn't want to stake his knee rehabilitation on.

Asked whether Burgess' reputation may be able to sway the likes of Wenger and Sanchez into better decision-making, Brukner added: "It may well do. Respect is a really important thing, the players and the manager having respect for someone like Darren I'm sure will be enormous.

"That will enable him to have more influence than someone who's not respected. He's respected partly because of his reputation, but also for all of his qualities.

"I think it's a great move for Arsenal. We've got to look for ways of improving, and all credit to acknowledging that they needed to do something, and if you're going to do something, then you get the best person around.

"I think they've got the best person in the world and that can only be an advantage for Arsenal. As a childhood Tottenham fan, that hurts me to say!"