Arsenal break silence as sporting director Edu resigns to make shock Premier League switch

Arsenal have confirmed that Edu has resigned from his position as sporting director as he prepares to join Evangelos Marinakis’ group of clubs which includes Nottingham Forest.

The Brazilian rejoined the club he used to play for from 2001-05 in 2019 as technical director and stepped up to sporting director in November 2022.

The 46-year-old has been credited with securing big signings of players such as Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, while his connections in his home country helped snap up the previously unknown Gabriel Martinelli.

However, in shock move just ten games into the Premier League season, Edu has decided to resign from his post, bringing his five-year spell at the club to an abrupt end.

A statement on the club’s website confirming the decision said: ‘Edu Gaspar has today resigned from his position as our Sporting Director.

‘Edu, our former player and Invincible, re-joined us in the role of Technical Director in July 2019. He progressed through the club and was promoted to Sporting Director in November 2022, where he oversaw men’s, women’s and academy football.   

‘We thank Edu for the part he has played in our renewed football strategy and driving the club forward with the values of Arsenal in his heart.’

Explaining his reason to move, Edu told the club website: ‘This was an incredibly hard decision to make. Arsenal has given me the opportunity to work with so many amazing people and the chance to be a part of something so special in the club’s history.

‘It has been a special journey and I thank Stan, Josh, Tim and Lord Harris for the support they’ve given me.

‘I’ve loved working with so many great colleagues across our men’s, women’s and academy teams, especially Mikel, who has become a great friend.

‘Now it is time to pursue a different challenge. Arsenal will always remain in my heart. I wish the club and its supporters only good things and all the very best.’

Although not official, Edu is widely expected to take up a position as CEO of Marinakis’ group, overseeing recruitment for a network of clubs which include Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave.

The Brazillian is said to have held out ambitions of becoming CEO at Arsenal but has jumped early given the opportunity to do that at the Marinakis-owned group.

Arsenal’s Co-Chair Josh Kroenke, added: ‘We respect Edu’s decision and thank him for his immense contribution and dedication to drive the club forward.  

‘Everyone at the club wishes him well. We are all so fond of him and the positive energy he brings to everything and everyone.  

‘Change and evolution is a part of our club.  We remain focused on our strategy and winning major trophies. Our succession plan will reflect this continued ambition.’

Edu was alongside Mikel Arteta in September as the Spaniard signed a new contract and spoke over the summer with Men In Blazers about his strategy and how he has had to make ‘unpopular decisions’ to achieve success.

‘When you live in the football world, sometimes you have to make decisions simple and sometimes you have to make decisions even if it is not popular,’ he said.

‘You have to be very strong on your ideas, what you believe, what is good for the club, what is good for the future of the club.

‘For me, there are some elements in football which I will always give a lot of attention. When I joined, I looked at the squad balance, the positions, the age of the group. There are three elements that you have to be really aware of.

‘First of all, we have to see the age of the player. Then you have to see the salary of the player. And third you have to see the performance of the player.

‘If you have a player over 26 or 27 years, you need attention. If his salary is high, you need attention. And if he is not performing, you are dead.

‘Let’s come back… If you have a player, 27 years old or 28, on a big salary, but he is performing, you can accept it. What you cannot accept is if you have those three elements and the player is over 28.

‘You start to become uncomfortable and it is better for you to move them on – because maybe this player is blocking someone younger, an asset who could help you.

‘When I came to Arsenal, I saw all the squad, with respect, almost everyone was over 26, 27, on big salaries and not performing. If you have those three elements, which club in the world wants to come here and buy one of our players? No-one.

‘So how do you deal with that situation? You have to be strong and sometimes you have to make decisions. You can go strong and try to let those players go or your project is going to take, instead of three or four years, maybe seven, eight or nine.

‘Then unpopular decisions started to come. Because most of the players that have those elements, they have a fanbase and a media that love them. But for the club it is not healthy sometimes to keep the player in that situation.

‘When I started I saw every single player in the squad with those three characteristics. Then I said: “Guys, we have to clean this squad, with all my respect, to build a new foundation here. From that foundation, we need to sign younger players, on lower salaries, with better futures, who are hungry to take us where we want to go.’

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