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Edu Gaspar is understood to be set to leave Arsenal in a morning hammer blow to the club.
The 46-year-old Brazilian re-joined the club in an off-the-pitch role in July 2019, signing up as the club’s first-ever technical director. Success in the role later saw the former Gunners footballer rewarded with a promotion to sporting director in 2022 (again, the club’s first-ever).
Further developments and explanations around the exit – and, perhaps, potential successors for the role – are understood to be forthcoming over the next 24 hours.
Why is Arsenal sporting director Edu leaving the Emirates Stadium?Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Given the wide-ranging success Edu has enjoyed working alongside Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium, this decision has understandably come as a bit of a shock for all involved.
Intriguingly, Sky Sports suggests there may be some early indications as to why the former Corinthians executive has taken this decision.
“Sources have told Sky Sports News that the Brazilian has been under consideration for a role with Evangelos Marinakis’s group of clubs,” the broadcaster informed fans on X (formerly Twitter).
“Which currently include Nottingham Forest, Olympiakos, Rio Ave and, in the future, potentially, a fourth club they’re looking to buy in Europe.
“It’s unclear yet whether that is a reason why Edu has made this decision. We understand this decision has taken Arsenal by surprise that Edu will be leaving Arsenal as their sporting director.”
It’s difficult to imagine the former central midfielder agreeing to what would be, objectively, a step-down with regards to roles with one of Nottingham Forest, Olympiakos or Rio Ave.
There is the mysterious possibility of a fourth club to consider, of course, but there isn’t a vast multitude of projects more exciting in world football than Arsenal.
One could theorise that Edu has possibly been offered another major promotion that may give him overarching powers to oversee the development of Evangelos Marinakis’s network of clubs. Miguel Delaney’s latest report for the Independent would certainly suggest something akin to that is on the table.
“The Independent understands Edu had held ambitions to become CEO at Arsenal, a position the Marinakis group is willing to meet, while also improving his wages by more than three times that of his existing salary at the Emirates,” the journalist reported.
Liverpool, for instance, have gone in this direction with the return of former sporting director Michael Edwards as the club’s CEO of Football. Might the Nottingham Forest owner have a similar purview in mind for the Arsenal executive?
It’s an unconfirmed possibility – it must be stressed – but a possibility nonetheless.
BREAKING: Sporting director Edu has taken the decision to leave Arsenal ?
Sources have told Sky Sports News that the Brazilian has been under consideration for a role with Evangelos Marinakis’s group of clubs. pic.twitter.com/9IeC0Y9Bv9
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 4, 2024
Arsenal transfers: Who did Edu help sign for the Gunners?Edu leaving Arsenal is, without question, going to be a painful new reality to acclimatise to.
The Brazilian played a key role in bringing in game-changing additions from Martin Odegaard to Declan Rice whilst working in north London.
The Norway international has registered 60 goal contributions in 156 games (across all competitions) since making his permanent Premier League switch from Real Madrid in 2021.
Credit should likewise go to Edu and his recruitment team for seeing value in the signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea in the summer of 2023. The Germany international has since gone on to become a key part of the setup at Arsenal, delivering 29 goal contributions in 66 games.
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