Atletico Madrid poach Bournemouth groundsman for Estadio Wanda Metropolitano top job

Dan Gonzalez has handed in his notice with the Premier League side and leaves for Madrid in the coming weeks

Ed Malyon
Sports Editor
Friday 13 October 2017 19:37 BST
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A general view of the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth's home ground
A general view of the Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth's home ground (Getty)

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Atletico Madrid are poaching a member of Bournemouth's groundstaff, Dan Gonzalez, to become their head groundsman at the new Estadio Wanda Metropolitano.

The Anglo-Spanish Gonzalez has handed in his notice with the Premier League side and leaves for Madrid in the coming weeks.

Gonzalez has been working under head groundsman Robin Wilcox at the Vitality Stadium, where the Cherries regularly receive compliments from visiting managers on the playing surface.

Gonzalez will bid a farewell to the Vitality Stadium in the coming weeks
Gonzalez will bid a farewell to the Vitality Stadium in the coming weeks (Getty)

It means that both major Madrid clubs now employ British groundsmen with Paul Burgess, widely considered one of the world's best, in charge at Real Madrid.

Burgess was previously at Arsenal and even had input into the stadium design when Arsenal relocated from Highbury to the Emirates as to ensure the turf got the requisite light and air flow.

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