When Arsenal announced Mikel Arteta had signed a new contract on Sept. 12, the Premier League club's manager was effusive in his praise of sporting director Edu Gaspar.
"He was the first one to knock on my door before I joined, and he made a big call to put all the trust he had in me to drive this massive boat in the direction and the way we both had a vision to do it -- and it's been pivotal," Arteta said. "Our relationship has been incredibly strong, very honest, very transparent and I'm very grateful for that."
At the same time, Edu reciprocated that sentiment. "We have a strong belief in what we are doing and what we want to achieve together," he said. "Mikel's new contract gives us stability and clear direction as we aim for new heights."
But on Monday, less than two months later, the Gunners announced that Edu had resigned. Sources have told ESPN he is set to head up Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' multiclub model, which includes Greece's Olympiacos and Portugal's Rio Ave.
But how key a figure has Edu been for Arsenal? Why are they losing him in such unexpected fashion? And where will they go from here?
How important was Edu to Arsenal?
Edu joined the club in 2019 after spending three years working with the Brazil national team as their technical director. With Edu having made 127 appearances for Arsenal as a midfielder in the "Invincibles" squad that won the 2003-04 Premier League title without losing a game, his appointment was greeted warmly by many supporters. He was brought in as part of a wider attempt to add sporting expertise following the departure of long-serving manager Arsene Wenger a year earlier.
Some of Edu's early transfers were criticised, however, as fans questioned the closeness of his relationship with certain agents, but that negativity dissipated as a radical overhaul of the squad began following Arteta's appointment to replace Unai Emery in December 2019. The Gunners were ruthless, paying up the contracts of nine first-team players to leave the club and, with that allied to concerted -- and often intelligent -- spending, results improved over time and Arsenal became serious contenders for the Premier League title again.
Edu was promoted from technical director to sporting director in November 2022 as a reflection of his influence, the club's first-ever occupant of both positions. The move gave him formal responsibility for the academy as well as men's and women's football. Sources have told ESPN he was instrumental in recent modifications to Arsenal's training base at London Colney and was often the troubleshooter in any disputes that arose there. Arteta used him as a sounding board -- one source suggested Edu was one of the few people the Spaniard could "vent" his frustration at -- and his charming, charismatic personality made him a popular figure internally and externally.
Arteta described their "special chemistry" when reflecting on Edu's exit on Tuesday. The pair were both essential in reestablishing core club values and driving up standards to improve the culture, which had drifted into mediocrity during the latter part of Wenger's 22-year reign, creating a stagnant feel Emery was unable to shake.
How did his departure arise?
Reports of interest in Edu from elsewhere surfaced in Brazil over the summer. A source told ESPN that, around the end of the summer transfer window, senior figures at the club held an informal conversation with the 46-year-old in which those rumours were discussed but that nothing was explored further. There was no indication at that stage that he had a formal offer to consider.
The situation gathered pace in the past fortnight, however. Another source told ESPN that Arsenal's hierarchy became aware that something could be in the offing around two weeks ago and that internal discussions began. Dialogue involving Edu, Arteta, executive vice-chair Tim Lewis, managing director Richard Garlick and co-chair Josh Kroenke accelerated last weekend.
However, Edu had not indicated any intention to leave to a wider audience and did so only on Monday morning, when he began to circulate the news at London Colney. Multiple sources have told ESPN there was genuine shock among staff.
One source strongly rejects any notion that there was a power struggle that led to Edu's exit, with the situation more that he was made a hugely lucrative offer that promised a much wider remit across several clubs than a one-club sporting director position could ever provide. Arsenal are technically part of a multiclub operation, given owners Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) also count MLS franchise the Colorado Rapids among several sports teams in their stable, but they do not pool players in the same way.
However, working with Marinakis offers something immediate, and reports have suggested Edu will be paid in the region of £5 million a year to oversee Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave. One source suggests that Arsenal made a counteroffer to improve Edu's salary but that that was swiftly rejected as his mind was made up.
There had been minor disagreements involving Edu. Sources have told ESPN that the club were split over whether to sign Spain midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, with Arteta particularly keen on adding his experience to the squad. Similarly, there was frustration at the loss of promising 16-year-old striker Chido Obi-Martin to Manchester United, with sources telling ESPN that Edu's relationship with the player's agent had become strained. But sources insist these were the sort of small issues that inevitably crop up in such a role and that Edu's departure was greeted with both surprise and sadness by staff.
Sources said that Edu was emotional in addressing players and staff at London Colney on Tuesday when saying his final goodbyes before the squad flew to Italy for a Champions League game at Inter Milan. Sources added that he leaves on good terms with senior figures at the club.
What will Arsenal do now?
It has been confirmed to ESPN that Edu has begun a six-month notice period and will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the club during that time. He cannot therefore begin work for Marinakis until late April/early May. In the meantime, Edu assistant Jason Ayto will step up on an interim basis and assume some of the responsibilities that were vacated while the search for a successor begins.
Arsenal's football management unit comprises Arteta, Garlick, Lewis and James King reporting up to KSE, specifically owner Stan Kroenke and, more often, son Josh. King starts work at the club on Monday having rejoined to take up Garlick's old role as director of football operations, after Garlick became managing director earlier this year when Vinai Venkatesham left.