The decision by Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar to leave not only raises questions about his reasons, but also raises doubts about Mikel Arteta’s ability to be self-sufficient. When Arteta signed a new contract in September, Edu stressed the importance of stability in taking the team to new heights.
But now Edu has unexpectedly left Arsenal and that “stability” is becoming a big question mark. It is likely that Edu will move to Nottingham Forest and participate in the management of clubs in the multinational system of owner Evangelos Marinakis, including Olympiacos and Rio Ave. Mikel Arteta will have an important role in choosing Edu’s replacement.
The strong relationship between Arteta and Edu in the process of rebuilding the squad has brought many successes, turning the "Gunners" from depending on older, high-salary players like Aubameyang and Ozil, into a young, enthusiastic team with pillars like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal could argue that the current board can still provide stability. However, the timing of Edu’s departure is not ideal and could cause instability for the Emirates Stadium outfit. The Gunners have previously insisted that Edu is vital and that losing him would impact the structure of the club.
In addition, the departure of CEO Vinai Venkatesham, who was very close to Edu, also caused some turmoil. There was even an opinion that Edu once wanted to become CEO of Arsenal but things did not work out that way. Furthermore, Richard Garlick taking on the role of CEO also put Edu in a passive position. This could be the reason for Edu's feeling of no longer being suitable and deciding to leave the club.
Edu’s decision to leave has added to Arteta’s challenge. Mikel Arteta’s side are currently fifth in the table, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. Arsenal must overcome this gap if they are to challenge for the Premier League title, something only Man City have managed in recent seasons.
Liverpool suddenly became a direct competitor, while in the last 2 seasons, the championship was a two-horse race between Arsenal and Man City. This made the pressure on Arteta even greater, especially when he had no significant achievements other than the FA Cup title in the 2019-2020 season.
While the Spanish tactician cannot be judged solely on the number of titles he has won, the reality is that Arsenal have spent nearly £600m since 2019 and Mikel Arteta has yet to take The Gunners to the pinnacle of English football.
Edu’s departure will only add to the growing fan skepticism and criticism. Arteta joined Arsenal in December 2019, while Edu arrived in June of the same year. There were reports two years ago that Edu could leave the Emirates after receiving a lucrative offer, but Arteta publicly wanted Edu to stay because of his influence at the club.
Arsenal are trying to put a positive spin on Edu's departure but the reality is that the loss is huge. All eyes will now be on Arteta and how he faces the challenges ahead.
