Edu to leave role as Arsenal sporting director

Arsenal sporting director Edu is to leave his role at the club.

The Brazilian rejoined the Gunners as technical director in summer 2019 before being promoted to sporting director in November 2022.

Edu, 46, played for Arsenal between 2001 and 2005 and won two league titles, with one coming as part of the 'Invincibles' team of 2003-04.

The former midfielder was heavily involved in bringing manager Mikel Arteta to the club, with Arsenal winning the FA Cup at the end of Arteta's first season in charge.

While major silverware has eluded them since, working alongside the Spaniard, Edu has been widely credited with helping to transform the club back into genuine title challengers.

Arsenal have ended the two previous campaigns as Premier League runners-up behind champions Manchester City.

Captain Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Gabriel, Gabriel Jesus and Declan Rice have all arrived and become key players during Edu's tenure, although the recruitment of players such as David Luiz and Willian had less of an impact.

All of last Saturday's starting XI were signed after Edu's appointment, with the exception of academy product Bukayo Saka.

There has been movement off the field at Arsenal in recent times, with Richard Garlick taking up the role as managing director at the beginning of this season after CEO Vinai Venkatesham left at the end of the last campaign.

The Gunners are also set to appoint James King as director of football operations.

King previously worked at the club but left to join the Professional Footballers' Association as their general counsel.

Arsenal were approached by the BBC but did not comment on the situation.