'He wasn't happy': The key Arsenal decision that led to Edu leaving the club – journalist
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Arsenal were rocked earlier this season when it was announced that Edu will be leaving his role as the club's Sporting Director.
Edu's departure has sparked worry among some in the Arsenal community, and it's easy to understand why.
Edu has played a key part in rebuilding this Arsenal team over the past few years, and Arsenal were shocked when Edu decided to leave.
According to Duncan Castles, speaking on The Transfers Podcast, one of the main reasons that Edu is leaving Arsenal is due to the growing power of Mikel Arteta.
According to the journalist, Edu wasn't happy with Arteta's new contract and the growing power the Spaniard has at the club, claiming that Edu resigned largely because of that reason.
Why Edu resigned from Arsenal
Castles shared what he knows about Edu's resignation.
The journalist says that the Sporting Director has decided to leave Arsenal due to the power Mikel Arteta now has at the club.
"Arteta went into the season in his strongest position of power ever at the club, having been handed a new three-year contract in September. That contract, I’m told, was one of the key reasons why Edu resigned his position as sporting director to take up a broader position with Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis, the multi-club group, because he wasn’t happy with Arteta’s increasing authority at the club," Castles said.
Arsenal recent signings analysed
Arteta has more power than ever at Arsenal, and that was evident in the summer transfer window.
Of course, Edu played his part in these signings, but a number of Arsenal's additions had Arteta's fingerprints all over them.
Arsenal summer signings |
Raheem Sterling |
Neto |
Mikel Merino |
Riccardo Calafiori |
Arteta and Raheem Sterling worked together at Manchester City, so it's easy to join those dots together, while Mikel Merino was a signing from a club that Arteta has strong ties to – Real Sociedad.
Neto appears to be a very Edu-led signing given his Brazilian links, but signing a second-choice goalkeeper is hardly the most important piece of work Arsenal did in the summer.
As for Riccardo Calafiori, on paper, it's hard to figure out who drove this signing, but Arteta did speak to Calafiori on the phone before he arrived at the club, so it appears as though the manager did play a huge part in that one too.
Edu is now set for a new role with Evangelos Marinakis, and it will be interesting to see what sort of business he tries to do in his now position.