Sky Sports have dropped further details about Edu Gaspar’s decision to leave Arsenal live on TV on Tuesday morning. The Gunners were met with the shock news on Monday that the Brazilian has decided to resign from his role as sporting director after re-joining the club in 2019.
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Suggestion hugely respected chief is a favourite to replace Edu at Arsenal
The Brazilian left his post as sporting director in a surprise announcement this week.
Edu replacements already linked with Arsenal
Edu played for Arsenal between 2001 and 2005, winning two league titles and being part of the invincible team in the 2003/04 season. Then in 2019, the 46-year-old re-joined the club as technical director before he was given the role of sporting director in 2022.
The Brazilian was heavily involved in bringing Mikel Arteta to the Emirates and has been partially credited for the turnaround at the club, but has now made the decision to leave Arsenal, something Edu described as being “incredibly hard”: “This was an incredibly hard decision to make. 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.
“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. 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.”
It has already been suggested that assistant director Jason Ayto is an “obvious choice” to replace Edu at Arsenal. Ayto, who has been working closely under Edu, is apparently “hugely respected” within the club and could be a major contender to take on the vacancy. But as we wait to see who the replacement for Edu is, further details about his exit have now emerged.
Sky Sports drop live on-air details from London Colney
According to Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, speaking outside the Sobha Realty Training Centre in London Colney, Edu’s decision to leave Arsenal is solely his choice, and the talk of internal chaos and power struggles at the club is “totally untrue”.
As stated, Edu has been a key part of what Arsenal have achieved in recent seasons, and he was a big factor in getting Arteta to the club to begin with.
|
Edu’s director roles |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Corinthians |
Director of Football |
March 2011–June 2016 |
|
Iran |
Advisor |
May 2014–June 2014 |
|
Brazil |
Team coordinator |
June 2016–July 2019 |
|
Arsenal |
Technical director |
July 2019–November 2022 |
|
Arsenal |
Sporting director |
November 2022–November 2024 |
Sheth describes Edu’s decision to leave Arsenal as a “blow,” and they are disappointed at the news, but any concerns over wider panic and chaos ensuing are wide of the mark, so fans can take solace in a likely smooth transition to the next man up. The 46-year-old simply believes it is the right time for a new challenge for him in his career, and he is now expected to join Nottingham Forest’s multi-club group.
