Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar is preparing to leave his position according to reports.
Returning to North London in 2019, Edu became part of the foundation that led Mikel Arteta’s side to where it is today.
Arsenal have their culture back after a trialling few years following Arsene Wenger’s departure however, more change is now expected.
Edu is set to leave Arsenal, with the Gunners needing to replace the Brazilian, who plays an integral role at the club.
- READ MORE: Who is Edu Gaspar? Everything you need to know about the ex-Arsenal player turned director
Edu’s best five signings at Arsenal
Edu has overseen the resurgence of his former club with Arteta at the helm, paving the way for the manager to restore Arsenal’s stature in the Premier League.
Over his time at the Emirates, the Brazilian has been behind a wave of transfers, here are five of the best signings Edu made during his time as sporting director.
Martin Odegaard
Capturing Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid was a huge success, leading Arsenal to sign the Norweigan permanently in 2021 for just £34m.
Since then, the midfielder has not only shone as Arsenal’s creator-in-chief but is club captain, earning the armband with his in-game management.
Odegaard’s value has soared since making the move from the Bernabeu, making his transfer one of the best of Edu’s tenure.
William Saliba
The same can be said about William Saliba, who signed a contract at Arsenal in 2019.
Edu was smart in his approach with Saliba, capturing him on a long-term deal before loaning the defender back out, seeing him make his Premier League debut in 2022.
Arguably, the Frenchman is now one of the best central defenders in world football at the tender age of 23, with his £27m price tag proving to be a bargain.
Ben White
Hiking the price up comes the 2021 capture of Ben White, whose transfer had Edu being mocked by his decision to pay £50m for the former Brighton defender.
At the time, £50m seemed to be a steep price for the Englishman however, such narrative was quickly dropped as White became one of Arteta’s most important players over the years.
With fight and peak versatility, White encapsulates Arsenal under Arteta, being a player of great value at the Emirates.
Gabriel Magalhaes
The same can be said about Gabriel Magalhaes, who was picked up by the Gunners from Lille in 2020.
Arsenal paid £27m to the French side for the centre-back, who has since become a crucial piece in Arteta’s puzzle in North London.
There are now very few better than the Brazilian in the league, with his bargain move four years ago proving to be a masterstroke by Edu.
Gabriel Martinelli
Perhaps the most impressive Edu signing was Gabriel Martinelli in 2019.
Edu played a big role in luring the winger to Arsenal from Brazilian side Ituano, capturing Martinelli’s signature for just £6m when he was an unknown figure.
Now, the 23-year-old has grown to be one of the most feared wide players in Europe when at his best, shining as one of the best signings in the club’s history based on value and success.
Five of the worst Edu transfers at Arsenal
Unfortunately, not every signing that Edu has made has been as successful as the five above, with some pretty bleak transfers to relive too.
Willian
In 2020, Arsenal welcomed Willian from Chelsea on a free transfer, which despite being a cost-effective deal up front, cost the Gunners in other ways.
The Brazilian was handed the fifth-highest wage at the time and left just one year after his arrival at the Emirates, scoring one Premier League goal.
Signing Willian was puzzling and simply unnecessary, given how things worked out for the former Chelsea ace on the north side of the capital.
Albert Sambi Lokonga
Another underwhelming signing was Albert Sambi Lokonga, who arrived in 2021 for £17m from Anderlecht.
To some, it might be cruel to name Lokonga on this list due to the matter that he rarely got a chance to impress however, it was clear from day one that the Belgian was not the right man for Arteta’s project.
Now on loan at Sevilla, it looks likely that the midfielder will remain in Spain and Arsenal will not generate any profit from the rarely-seen talent.
Pablo Mari
Another bizarre transfer was the signing of Pablo Mari from Flamengo.
The centre-back never blew Arteta away with his performances and was rarely a spoken-about figure however, Arsenal paid £14m for the defender who somehow lasted two and a half years on the Gunners’ books.
Mari made 22 appearances for Arsenal and now represents Monza in Serie A.
Cedric
On the subject of disastrous defensive signings comes Cedric Soares, who despite signing on a free transfer from Southampton, still cost Arsenal a lot.
The fullback was full of mistakes on the pitch, making him a problem player amongst Arsenal fans, who were glad to see the 33-year-old leave permanently in the summer.
Nuno Tavares
Arsenal’s signings around 2021 were questionable, with Nuno Tavares’ £8m arrival from Benfica being one.
While the defender has impressed whilst being on various loan spells, it’s clear that the fullback just won’t cut it in Arteta’s squad, which has been evident since his early moments at Colney.
It’s been quite the turnaround for Tavares however, who is thriving on loan in Italy, with Lazio president Claudio Lotito valuing the Arsenal loanee at €70m.
Disappointingly, Arsenal are only expected to get a fraction of Lotito’s valuation for the 2021 signing, who is on a loan with a £7m obligation to buy at Lazio.
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