Edu to Step Down as Arsenal Sporting Director

Arsenal sporting director Edu will be stepping down from his role at the club. The 46-year-old Brazilian rejoined Arsenal as technical director in the summer of 2019 and was promoted to sporting director in November 2022.

Edu, who played for Arsenal from 2001 to 2005 and was part of the historic ‘Invincibles’ team of 2003-04, has been instrumental in the club’s resurgence. He played a significant role in appointing Mikel Arteta as manager, who led the team to win the FA Cup in his first season. Since then, Arsenal has not secured major trophies but has consistently competed as genuine title contenders, finishing as Premier League runners-up behind Manchester City in the last two seasons.

During Edu’s tenure, key players such as captain Martin Ødegaard, Ben White, Gabriel, Gabriel Jesus, and Declan Rice were signed, transforming the squad. However, some acquisitions, like David Luiz and Willian, had mixed success. Notably, all but one of Arsenal’s starting XI from last Saturday were brought in since Edu’s arrival, with Bukayo Saka being the exception as an academy graduate.

Recent changes in the club’s off-field structure include the appointment of Richard Garlick as managing director following the departure of CEO Vinai Venkatesham last season. Arsenal is also preparing to appoint James King as director of football operations. King, who previously worked at the club, had left to serve as general counsel at the Professional Footballers’ Association.