Arsenal sporting director Edu is set to leave his position at the club.
According to the ever-reliable Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, Edu is all set for exit, and Mikel Arteta will lose a key ally at the north London club.
The former Arsenal player took charge of the role when the Gunners were not in a great position. He signed several key players like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz and helped the club forge a strong squad capable of challenging for the league title.
As Arsenal re-emerged as a major force in the Premier League, Edu’s role at the club has been well appreciated. He is seen as one of the leading sporting directors in world football, and losing him now will be a major blow for the Gunners.
Edu was also instrumental in shipping out high-earners at the club who were not performing to the required standards, such as Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. He initially joined as a technical director and later rose to the position of Sporting director in 2022.
He has been arguably one of the key figures behind the Gunners’ resurgence, but the Brazilian has now decided to leave his post following talks with other members of the club’s hierarchy.
Mokbel reports that “talks have been ongoing” with the club’s hierarchy, although it is not clear why he is leaving his post. More details are expected to emerge in the next 24 hours.
There could be a reshuffle in responsibilities among the Arsenal hierarchy in key positions, but a power struggle may not be the reason why Edu is moving out. It is purely his decision to leave.
Arsenal are going through a mini-crisis at the moment. They have lost twice in their last three Premier League games, drawing the other one, and find seven points behind league leaders Liverpool at the top.