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Super-agents, transfer record and rejecting Mudryk - inside track on Nottingham Forest-linked Edu
Nottingham Forest would gain a “good operator” with enviable contacts, an eye for transfers and strong negotiation skills, if Edu joins the club.
The Brazilian is to leave his role as sporting director of Arsenal and could be in line for a job at the City Ground. Reports suggest he could be set to take up a chief executive position overseeing Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis’ stable of teams, which also includes European sides Olympiacos and Rio Ave.
News of Edu deciding to step away from his job in the capital has sent shockwaves around the Emirates Stadium. But although Gunners legend Martin Keown has questioned why the 46-year-old would leave to take up a post Trentside, it seems the opportunity to have a big influence across a trio of clubs could be a particular lure.
“I think there was some small signs of friction in his role at Arsenal,” says Kaya Kaynak, Arsenal writer for our sister site FootballLondon. “There has been a bit of movement upstairs at Arsenal and his influence has diminished somewhat.
“I'm sure finances would have played a part too. Most important though is probably the chance to be part of a multi-club model.
“It's a huge job for anyone, but fits the kind of palm-greasing, jet-setting lifestyle that Edu seems to thrive in. Forest would get a really good operator through the door.”
Former midfielder Edu spent four years with the Gunners as a player before leaving for Valencia in 2005. He then returned as technical director in 2019, with his job title changing to that of sporting director three years later.
During that time, he has been integral in Arsenal’s emergence as title challengers and has overseen plenty of changes at the Emirates. His departure has not yet been officially confirmed, but he will leave behind a good body of work.
“I think varied is probably the best way to describe it,” Kaynak says of Edu’s tenure. “There was a lot of suspicion when he first arrived. The Brazilian tried to secure Arsenal some quick-fixes by delving into his contacts book to get the clients of a few super agents like Kia Joorabchian. The likes of Willian, Cedric, Pablo Mari and David Luiz all came in. None of them worked.
“There was a bit of a shift after covid, though, and Arsenal started to buy younger. While every transfer wasn't a winner there were more hits than misses.
“Edu became popular with the fans because he's a very good communicator when given the chance. He's a charismatic guy, too, which doesn't hurt.
“He's also been able to secure some huge deals in recent times. Getting Declan Rice for a club-record fee was massive and so was extending Bukayo Saka's contract. I think overall he's done a good job at the Emirates.
“The biggest success was overhauling the squad. When he arrived, Arsenal had a lot of players either over 30 or nearing 30 on big money. Edu got rid of them all in order to usher in a new era of younger players. The fans got behind them and it really improved the atmosphere around the club. The squad is certainly in a much better place now than when he arrived in 2019.
“In terms of what didn't work, I'd have to say the early signings mentioned above. There were a few duds in more recent times, too, such as Fabio Vieira, who cost £35 million and did very little.”
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Forest’s links to Edu first emerged during the summer, although the club dismissed those reports at the time. If a swoop does come off this time around, the former Brazil international would have some very solid foundations to build on Trentside.
The Reds have done some excellent business of their own in the transfer market in recent windows - unearthing hidden gem Murillo, signing Callum Hudson-Odoi for an initial £3m and snapping up Nikola Milenkovic for £12m being some examples of their successes. Key additions have made big impacts and Nuno Espirito Santo’s side now sit third in the table - above Arsenal.
However, Marinakis is fiercely ambitious and is not known for standing still. Edu could strengthen a recruitment set-up at Forest which also includes chief football officer Ross Wilson, global technical director George Syrianos and head of recruitment Pedro Ferreira.
“He had a huge role in transfers,” Kaynak adds of Edu’s impact on transfers at Arsenal. “Edu is a man with a seemingly endless contacts book.
“He knows how to work a room and charm agents and players. He's also a strong negotiator when he has to be. Arsenal haven't been afraid to walk away from deals in the past if the money is too expensive, such as the famous move for Mykhailo Mudryk a few years ago or the lesser known move for Joao Felix.
“In terms of players he's brought in, the obvious one is Rice, but Edu has been good at spotting potential in the market too. The biggest example of this is Martin Odegaard.
“Another thing he's been good at is reacting to setbacks. When Arsenal miss out on a number one target, they can pivot very quickly. An example is when they didn't get Mudryk they went out and got Leandro Trossard straight away. The same could be said when they got Jorginho after missing out Moises Caicedo. Both players are now key members of the squad.”
