Arsenal reaction to Edu quitting club emerges as Mikel Arteta suffers blow | Football | Sport

Arsenal chiefs are reportedly ‘surprised’ that sporting director Edu is set to make a shock departure from the club.

On Monday morning it emerged that the 46-year-old, who has played a pivotal role in recruitment since returning to the place where he was revered as a player, has opted to leave north London.

The Brazilian, who initially took up the role of technical director in 2019 before switching positions three years later, has overseen the signings of the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

He is now reportedly in talks with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also has control of Greek side Olympiacos and Portugal’s Rio Ave.

A deal between the two is yet to be confirmed, but fans of the Gunners are now anxiously awaiting confirmation that the 46-year-old is indeed leaving the Emirates.

And according to Sky Sports News, club chiefs have been caught off guard by the the development and are surprised by Edu’s decision.

He has shared a close relationship with Mikel Arteta since the Spaniard himself came back on board at the club as manager five years ago. And in September, when Arteta signed a new contract, Edu spoke positively about their new long-term ambitions together.

Arsenal have finished second in back-to-back Premier League campaigns, and it was during the 2022/23 campaign that Arteta publicly spoke about dealing with his sporting director on a daily basis. “I hope that he stays here for a long time because I think it’s going to be a really positive thing for the club,” he said.

“I’ve work with him really well. I think he’s a super important figure at the club that represents all of the values and ideas that we want to take the right way, and hopefully that will be the case.

“There is a lot happening at a football club and he has a huge role, but he has a really good way of communicating with people and managing a lot of things that happen daily. So for me and for the team he’s really important.”

Edu has recently been away from England, having gone home to his native Brazil on personal matters. He returned last week in time to travel to Newcastle and watch his side lose 1-0 at St James’ Park.

Reacting to the speculation on talkSPORT, Edu’s former team-mate David Seaman admitted it would be a “massive blow” to Arsenal if he was to leave. “I get to see him whenever I visit the training ground to do some coaching,” he said, with the former England international currently coaching young club keepers.

“He’s a great influence at the club. He’s also a good guy and he’s someone that you really want to keep on. I hope the rumours aren’t true.”