Arsenal Edu replacement plan already clear for Mikel Arteta as search starts

Arsenal are on the lookout for a new sporting director, with the club confirming that Edu has stepped down from his role. The former player re-joined the club in 2019 and oversaw the men’s, women’s, and academy teams.

The job of bringing in a suitable replacement in will be no mean feat for Richard Garlick, Tom Lewis and Mikel Arteta, who are all expected to be involved in the process. There is, however, one name that may already be on the contact list that the trio could possibly re-connect with.

Back in 2019, when Arsenal were searching for a replacement for Sven Mislintat, they made an approach to Monchi. He had left his post at Roma just a few weeks earlier but eventually completed a move to Spanish side Sevilla.

Speaking after his appointment, he said: "I thank Arsenal for their interest. It has been the club that has shown the most interest in me, but, in the end, I evaluated all of the offers I had on the table, and I chose the one that convinced me most.

"I had other options, and very important ones that were flashier, but I've chosen Sevilla because its sporting project convinced me. I want to thank everyone that contributed to my return to what I consider to be my home."

At the time, Arsenal were managed by Unai Emery, who worked with Monchi at Sevilla. They were however reunited almost four years later.

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Monchi joined Emery at Aston Villa in the summer of 2023 and has earned praise for the work he has done with the club. Arrivals under the sporting director include Youri Tielemans, Pau Torres, and Amadou Onana.

His challenge in the summer just gone was to help build a squad that was capable of competing in both the Champions League and the Premier League. There was also the added hurdle of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs).

The early signs so far this season are positive. Villa sit at the top of the Champions League, having won all three of their league games so far, including a memorable victory against Bayern Munich.

It has been more difficult in the Premier League with the club winning just one of their last five games. But a 4-1 defeat against Tottenham on Sunday was just their second league defeat of the season, with the other coming against Arsenal in August.

Arsenal’s progress under Edu places an importance on getting his replacement right. Monchi’s reputation, previous work, and former links with Arsenal could just make him an ideal candidate; how willing Villa will be to let him go could be another question.