Why Edu Left Arsenal To Join Evangelos Marinakis' New Multi-Club Ownership Group
Arsenal Football Club have been on a real journey over the last few years. The departure of legendary long-standing manager Arsene Wenger in 2018 left a huge void and caused a serious re-evaluation of the Gunners' identity. His replacement Unai Emery struggled to win over a hungry fanbase that perhaps didn't quite realise how much restructuring needed to be done at the north London club during this time.
In December 2019, the club brought in Mikel Arteta, an unproven but promising young Pep Guardiola disciple with a strong connection to the Gunners. He has since led Arsenal's charge back toward the summit of the Premier League, winning the FA Cup in 2020 and turning the men's first team into a side capable of challenging Guardiola's dominant Manchester City team.
In the background, Arteta has been assisted in this journey by numerous members of staff: fellow coaches, executives, analysts, scouts, medical staff, and more. One person who has played a more important role than most is the former Arsenal midfielder-turned sporting director Edu, who has provided Arteta with crucial support over the last few years. However, it was recently announced that Edu would be leaving the club to take up a new opportunity in the world of football, and in this article we'll be diving deep into that decision.
We'll explain who Edu is and we'll take a look at how he helped reinvent Arsenal alongside Mikel Arteta. Then, we'll explore why he has decided to leave the club, and examine what the future holds for the Brazilian football executive.
Who Is Edu?
Edu is a Brazilian football director and former professional who played for Corinthians, Arsenal, and Valencia throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, eventually hanging up his boots in 2010. Playing as a central midfielder, he won the 1998 and 1999 Brasileiro championships and the 2000 FIFA Club World, his performances attracting Arsene Wenger's attention and getting him a £6 million move to England in 2001.
After settling into the first team, Edu became a key part of the club's 'Invincibles' side which won the 2003/04 Premier League title without losing a single game, shining alongside stars like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp.
In 2005, the Bosman Ruling — a famous court verdict that stated football players should be free to move when their contracts with a club expire, and that clubs within the EU could hire any number of EU players — facilitated a free transfer for Edu from Arsenal to Valencia. His time at the well-established La Liga outfit was unfortunately marred by injury, and he eventually left Valencia in 2009 after making 50 league appearances for the club. He did, however, win the Copa Del Rey in 2007/08 and went back to his native Brazil to rejoin Corinthians having solidified his reputation and won 15 international caps.
Edu eventually retired in 2010, and almost straight away he moved into the boardroom, first becoming Corinthians' director of football before making the leap to international football and working as the general coordinator of the Brazilian national team from 2016 to 2019. In the summer of 2019, he reconnected with the Gunners after almost 15 years away, becoming the club's first-ever technical director.
Raul Sanllehi, the club's Head of Football at the time, said of the appointment: "We're very excited that Edu is joining the team. He has great experience and technical football knowledge and most importantly is a true Arsenal man. He understands the club and what we stand for to our millions of fans across the world."
What Was Edu's Impact At Arsenal?
One of the first major moves of Edu's Arsenal career was the signing of 18-year-old Brazilian youngster Gabriel Martinelli, who was plucked from the lower-league side Ituano for £6 million just weeks after Edu arrived. Other young players signed in Edu's early days who have gone on to become first-team regulars include William Saliba and Kieran Tierney. However, the most important decision the Brazilian technical director made during his first year in post was the appointment of Mikel Arteta as head coach in December 2019.
"I said, 'this is not Arsenal.'"
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 9, 2024
Edu speaking in late 2023 on the state of Arsenal when he arrived in 2019 as technical director 💬 pic.twitter.com/ZmeLLiTDqD
It's fair to say that the former Arsenal midfielder — who played for the club from 2011 to 2016 — has surpassed most people's expectations. Only 37 years old when he was appointed, Arteta has proven himself to be an astute tactician, an excellent motivator and a passionate representative of the north London club that he made 150 appearances for as a player. It took time for him to grow and develop a young group of players, but he has made Arsenal consistent challengers at the top of the Premier League, and this sustained achievement has reflected well on Edu. His success as technical director eventually led to him being promoted to sporting director in November 2022 — he was the first person to hold this role at Arsenal FC.
Since becoming sporting director, Edu has overseen the signing of various talented players including Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, David Raya and Leandro Trossard, all of whom have contributed immensely on the pitch. There have been some mistakes made in the transfer market, of course, but broadly speaking, Edu has been responsible for some clever recruitment over the last few years. Unfortunately, Arsenal will now have to pin their hopes on others when it comes to making new signings, following the recent news that Edu will be departing the club in search of a new challenge, after over five years at the helm.
Edu's Departure Explained: What Is The Former Arsenal Sporting Director's New Job?
On 4th November 2024, it was reported across various news outlets that Edu would be leaving his role at Arsenal. Many people within the football world were surprised to hear this, especially considering the positive impact the Brazilian has made in recent seasons, and the continuing upward trajectory the club appears to be on. The fact that Edu's new venture will be alongside the controversial Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis compounded this surprise. But what exactly is Edu's new job?
Early reports suggest that Edu will be working for Evangelos Marinakis, the Greek businessman and owner of three European clubs: Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos, and Rio Ave. The billionaire investor has owned Olympiacos since 2010 and bought Forest in 2017, acquiring a majority stake in Rio Ave more recently in 2023. Marinakis is reputedly keen to grow this portfolio of clubs further, creating a wider multi-club ownership network, and Edu has been appointed to help him fulfil this ambition.
According to the Independent, "Edu has been in talks with the Marinakis group and could now lead their recruitment to assist with the likes of Nottingham Forest and Greek club Olympiacos, as well as Portuguese side Rio Ave."
It seems as though Edu will not be joining Marinakis' project immediately, with Sky Sports reporting that the 46-year-old will serve a six-month period of gardening leave as Arsenal search for his replacement. Assistant sporting director Jason Ayto is set to step in and replace Edu on a temporary basis, and given the importance of finding a candidate who can work closely with Arteta to build for the future, the Gunners are willing to take their time in this search.
According to Sky, during the international break "The football leadership team will meet with owners the Kroenke family to discuss strategy and squad-building ahead of the next windows… Edu's successor will be on the agenda."
Why Did Edu Decide To Join Marinakis' Football Operation?
According to the aforementioned report by the Independent, "Edu had held ambitions to become CEO at Arsenal. It is believed this is a position the Marinakis group is willing to meet, while also improving his wages by more than three times that of his existing salary." The idea of increased power and responsibility must be a key draw, because early indications suggest the move wasn't all about money.
According to the Mirror, "the Gunners made a counter-offer similar to that tabled by Marinakis but the draw to work in a multiple-club model was too tempting to turn down." Seemingly, the success of multi-club ownership organisations like the City Football Group (CFG) means highly-rated executives are now willing to jump ship from other clubs and reap the rewards of being under a broader umbrella of sports teams.
After the news of Edu's departure broke, he explained his decision in an interview with Arsenal's official website, saying: "This was an incredibly hard decision to make. 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. It has been a special journey and I think Stan, Josh, Tim and Lord Harris for the support they've given me. 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."
Briefly touching on his new job (but refusing to dig into the details), Edu continued: "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 owner Josh Kroenke (referred to in Edu's statement) said: "We respect Edu's decision and thank him for his immense contribution and dedication to drive the club forward."
Over the coming months, more details about Edu's new role in the Marinakis multi-club ownership operation are likely to emerge. In the meantime, if you'd like to find out more about some of the most influential sporting directors and executives in English football, you're in the right place. Check out our profile on Dan Ashworth to find out about the backstory and best-ever signings of Manchester United's sporting director.