Arsenal target Champions League miracle worker to replace Edu as list of candidates grows

The process for Arsenal to replace Edu Gaspar as the club's sporting director goes on after the surprise resignation of the Brazilian. Several names have been linked with a move to the Gunners.

Former players such as Tomas Rosicky, European heavyweight recruiters like Luis Campos and former colleagues of Mikel Arteta like Roberto Olaba have all been linked alongside some left-field options such as Thiago Scuro. However, this latest name is perhaps the least well-known of them all.

Gregory Lorenzi is that man, the sporting director of Stade Brest and responsible for one of Europe’s most miraculous club transformations. Once a regular relegation battler following their promotion under Lorenzi in 2019, his work now sees them entering Europe.

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Not just at any level but the UEFA Champions League where they have three wins and a draw this season. The only game they failed to win was at home to German champions Bayer Leverkusen, who they held to a 1-1 stalemate.

Wins over Sturm Graz, Red Bull Salzburg and Rosicky's Sparta Prague have seen Brest sit fourth after four matches in the table. While their third-place finish last season has not yet shown signs of returning this campaign, the work to get the side into such a competitive position certainly falls in credit to Lorenzi and Eric Roy who he convinced to return to coaching and what a win that turned out to be.

There were suggestions that he would leave at the end of last season to move onto a new challenge but he stayed yet his work has not gone unnoticed. Arsenal now see the Frenchman as a potential option to replace Edu.

His work in the recruitment market will always be scrutinized but compared to the other names on Arsenal's shortlist the work in this field is at a much smaller level, more comparable to Rosicky with Sparta perhaps. Yet, it is here where the eye for talent can reap even bigger rewards which we have since seen.

He is responsible for deals for the likes of Romain Faivre, who was sold for a club record fee just one year later to Lyon. Romain Perraud was another major sale to Southampton after just two seasons with Brest.

But it is the work to build the side which earned them the third-place finish. Another Romain (clearly a favoured name in these parts), Del Castillo ended the season on eight goals and eight assists having cost around £1million from Stade Rennais.

Martin Satriano was brought in on two separate loan deals from Inter Milan, the second saw him notch six goals and four assists. Mahdi Camara, a central midfielder, scored seven and added five assists too, signed on loan in 2022 before making the move from Saint Etienne permanent in 2023 for a fee just north of £2million.

The question will be whether this low-level investment to find the gems could translate to Arsenal, of course. But many fans have asked why the Gunners cannot look to clubs like Brighton and Ajax as recruiters and find the players a direct path before their prices skyrocket.

It is a strategy that could be very difficult to translate into a club like Arsenal. Yet the club will be looking at the broader context of Lorenzi and his ability to do deals, sell well and negotiate which at Stade Brest has been very impressive indeed. As they say, you can only beat what is in front of you, and his work in France is rightfully receiving huge praise.