Arsenal suffered a huge blow on Monday morning when Mail Sport exclusively revealed that sporting director Edu has left the club – news that the club confirmed later that afternoon.
Since rejoining the Gunners in July 2019, the Brazilian has been responsible for capturing key signings such as Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice and in leading Arsenal’s strong performance in recruitment and delivering major players to the club.
He is widely thought of as one of the leading sporting directors in world football for masterminding the change in Arsenal’s signing surge as well as supporting the offloading of troubled stars such as Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil, who were considered to be part of a failed past.
As exclusively revealed by Mail Sport later on Monday afternoon, Edu is in talks over fronting Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ multi-club operation after resigning from his role at the Emirates Stadium.
Edu’s pending exit has left many Gunners fans concerned, given the impact he has had, so in light of the news, Mail Sport has taken a look at every one of his signings, and rated whether they were a hit, miss, or if the jury is still out.
Mail Sport exclusively revealed on Monday that sporting director Edu is leaving Arsenal
The news of the influential Brazilian’s departure will come as a hammer blow to the Gunners
Edu has had a major role in reviving a club that was ailing way before his arrival in July 2019
Summer 2019
Gabriel Martinelli – £6m from Ituano
Plucked from the fourth tier of Brazil, Martinelli has developed into a key lieutenant for Mikel Arteta, racking up 14 caps for his country in the process.
The forward has 34 goals and 18 assists in 138 appearances, while he has shown signs of returning to form this season after a tricky start to 2024.
Still only 23, Martinelli is only going to get better over the next few years and for such a bargain price, the forward is one of the best value signings from any Premier League club in recent times.
Verdict: HIT
Gabriel Martinelli has more than proven his worth since his £6m move from Ituano in 2019
William Saliba – £27m from Saint-Etienne
Given Saliba has developed into one of the best defenders in the Premier League, it’s easy to forget that things didn’t always look this promising when the Frenchman failed to make an appearance for Arsenal across his first three seasons at the club.
But after those temporary stints at Saint-Etienne, Nice and Marseille, Saliba has showed all of his talent since becoming arguably the key figure in Arteta’s side.
Saliba’s injury during the run-in in 2022-23 coincided with the Gunners’ collapse in the title race and with 96 appearances at the age of 23 – like Martinelli – he is going to be a huge part of the club in the coming years.
Verdict: HIT
Dani Ceballos – season-long loan from Real Madrid (rejoined on loan for the 2020-21 campaign)
Ceballos was a shrewd signing for two seasons during what was a challenging time for the club as they rebuilt under Arteta.
The Spaniard was never a star, but proved to be a reliable option for the Gunners and didn’t cost a penny in transfer fees.
Verdict: HIT
Nicolas Pepe – £72m from Lille
Arsenal fans were ecstatic at the arrival of a tricky winger from France for a club record fee, as the purse strings were finally loosened by the Kroenkes.
Unfortunately, that excitement was misplaced and while Pepe did score 27 times in 112 games for the club, he struggled to assert himself in the Premier League and proved to be a major flop – before his contract was terminated a year early.
Verdict: MISS
David Luiz – £8m from Chelsea
An experienced addition when the priorities were different at Arsenal, Luiz did a job but also demonstrated the inconsistencies that have plagued his career.
In fact, in the 2019-20 campaign, Luiz conceded five penalties, which was a Premier League record for the most penalties conceded by a player in a season, and he was released in the summer of 2021.
Verdict: MISS
Kieran Tierney – £25m from Celtic
After a positive start at the Emirates, Tierney has fallen out of favour in recent years as Arteta’s side have challenged for the title.
The Scot lost his place to Oleksandr Zinchenko during the 2022-23 season and last played for the Gunners in May 2023, yet he is still under contract until the summer of 2026.
Verdict: MISS
Kieran Tierney started well at Arsenal but has drastically fallen out of favour in recent years
January 2020
Pablo Mari – loan from Flamengo, before joining for £8m that summer
The Brazilian was supposed to add balance to Arsenal’s defence as a left-footed centre back, but he failed to establish himself across three-and-a-half years in north London.
Mari made just 22 appearances in all competitions and spent successive seasons out on loan with Udinese and Monza, before he joined the latter in the summer of 2023.
Verdict: MISS
Cedric Soares – loan from Southampton, before joining on a free that summer
A strange signing from the start, Cedric somehow lasted four-and-a-half years at the Emirates despite having been deemed not good enough for Southampton.
His final two seasons saw him appear just nine times in all competitions, while he also struggled during a loan spell at Fulham in that time.
Verdict: MISS
Cedric Soares was never anything other than a backup but was at Arsenal for over four years
Summer 2020
Willian – Free transfer from Chelsea
A brilliant Premier League player over the past decade, for some reason it just didn’t work for Willian at the Emirates.
The Brazilian was supposed to add quality and experience to Arteta’s side, but he scored just one goal in 37 appearances.
He was released 12 months into his three-year deal and later described his stint with the Gunners as ‘the worst time that he had lived as a professional’.
Verdict: MISS
Gabriel – £27m from Lille
Now in his fifth season at the club, Gabriel has been integral to Arsenal’s recent success under Arteta, developing a formidable partnership with Saliba.
The defender, 26, has also worked his way into the Brazil team and like many of Edu’s signings, has his best years ahead of him.
Verdict: HIT
Gabriel has proven to be an absolute hit at the Emirates since joining from Lille for £27m
Runar Alex Runarsson – £1.5m from Dijon
The Icelandic keeper was brought in as second choice behind Bernd Leno, but quickly showed that he was not up to the task with an error-strewn display against Man City in the Carabao Cup.
Runarsson soon fell down the pecking order and endured a disastrous loan spell at Cardiff City, before he was released in February 2024 having made just six appearances in four years.
Verdict: MISS
Icelandic keeper Runar Alex Runarsson was never up to the task and badly struggled at Arsenal
Thomas Partey – £45m from Atletico Madrid
Partey is still a regular member of Arteta’s midfield more than four years after his arrival, with the Spaniard heavily reliant on the Ghanaian star.
While he has struggled with injuries, his presence alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard has allowed that duo to flourish.
Verdict: HIT
January 2021
Omar Rekik – £900,000 from Hertha Berlin
Arriving as a highly-rated 20-year-old defender, Rekik was sent on loan to four different clubs over the next three years.
He failed to make an appearance for the Gunners before being released earlier this year.
Verdict: MISS
Matt Ryan – loan from Brighton
Signed as a temporary back-up to Leno after Runarsson’s struggles, Ryan played three times for the Gunners during a six-month stint at the club.
The Brighton loanee did his job as a No 2, but also didn’t do enough to merit a permanent move to the club that summer.
Verdict: MISS
Martin Odegaard – loan from Real Madrid before joining for £34m that summer
One of the most transformative signings in modern times for Arsenal, Odegaard has shone for the club despite not initially setting the world alight during his loan spell.
The Norwegian was promoted to captain in the summer of 2022 and has been the driving force behind the Gunners’ two most memorable campaigns in recent times.
His recent injury, and Arsenal’s accompanied dip in form only highlights how integral Odegaard is to Arteta’s side.
Verdict: HIT
Martin Odegaard has been one of Arsenal’s most transformative signings in modern times
Summer 2021
Nuno Tavares – £8m from Benfica
Despite a positive start, Tavares’ displays soon became riddled with mistakes and lapses in concentration.
It was ultimately felt by Arteta that the left back was not up to the task and he is currently on his third successive season-long loan move away from the club.
Verdict: MISS
Albert Sambi Lokonga – £15m from Anderlecht
Like Tavares, Lokonga showed some initial positive signs but was unable to nail down a regular starting place.
The Belgian held his own during loan spells at Crystal Palace and Luton, but did not do enough to show he has what it takes to succeed at Arsenal, while injuries have also been an issue.
Lokonga was shipped out to Sevilla at the start of the season and is unlikely to have a permanent future at the Emirates.
Verdict: MISS
Ben White – £50m from Brighton
£50m felt like a large fee for a defender with just one year of Premier League experience under his belt, but White has proven to be worth every penny.
White was a huge part of Arsenal having the meanest defence in the top flight last season and whenever he’s not available, his presence is badly missed by the Gunners.
Verdict: HIT
Ben White has proven to be worth every penny of the £50m Arsenal signed him for
Aaron Ramsdale – £30m from Sheffield United
Although things ended disappointingly with Ramsdale losing his place to David Raya in his final season, the Gunners got two impressive years out of the keeper.
In the 2022-23 campaign, Ramsdale was named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year and his sale to Southampton for £25m meant Arsenal got pretty much all of their money back on the Englishman.
Verdict: HIT
Takehiro Tomiyasu – £19.8m from Bologna
Tomiyasu was little-known in the Premier League before his arrival, but the Japanese defender has proven to be a reliable presence across Arsenal’s back-line.
His repeated injury struggles are a concern, but given he’s probably not in Arteta’s first choice XI, he has proven to be a strong squad option over the past three-and-a-half seasons.
Verdict: HIT
Takehiro Tomiyasu has shown his worth over the past three-and-a-half years for the Gunners
January 2022
Auston Trusty – Free transfer from Colorado Rapids
The USA international never played for Arsenal and was sold to Sheffield United for £5m, meaning in pure business sense, this move was a success.
But, in reality Trusty was never deemed good enough for the Gunners and his subsequent struggles at Bramall Lane proved that.
Verdict: MISS
Summer 2022
Marquinhos – £3m from Sao Paulo
The tricky Brazilian had a bright start at Arsenal, but failed to maintain that initial spark.
Marquinhos struggled during loan spells at Norwich and Nantes and is yet to score since joining Fluminense in his homeland earlier this year.
Verdict: MISS
Fabio Vieira – £34m from Porto
Signed to help take the load off Martin Odegaard in attacking midfield, Vieira failed to adapt to the English game and was sent back on loan to Porto this summer.
Things went from bad to worse last season during an injury-ravaged campaign when Vieira was sent off against Burnley, before his nadir came during an EFL Trophy tie against Reading when he missed a penalty.
Verdict: MISS
Fabio Vieira struggled to adapt to the English game and rejoined Porto on loan in the summer
Matt Turner – £7.5m from New England Revolution
Another backup keeper whose task was to challenge Ramsdale, Turner featured regularly in the Europa League and FA Cup, but was snubbed for the Englishman as Arsenal headed into the knockout stages in Europe.
He was ultimately not viewed as good enough to be No 2, although the Gunners did manage to sell him for £10m to Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023.
Verdict: MISS
Gabriel Jesus – £45m from Man City
Jesus’ move from perennial champions Man City was originally viewed as the sort of title-winning experience Arsenal needed to finally end their own Premier League drought.
But, after a promising start – that saw the Brazilian score 11 goals in 26 goals in his debut season in 2022-23 – Jesus has scored just four league goals since, something that is fast-becoming a worry.
He has failed to impress in recent times, although Jesus did at least end his 25-game goal drought by netting in the Carabao Cup win at Preston last week.
Verdict: JURY’S OUT
Oleksandr Zinchenko – £32m from Man City
Like Jesus, the addition of Zinchenko was originally viewed as a revolutionary move by Arteta and questions were being raised over why Pep Guardiola had let two members of his squad join their title rivals.
However, as the months go by, that decision is becoming easier to understand with Zinchenko slipping down the pecking order this season where he has even been behind youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly on occasions.
Verdict: MISS
Former Man City star Oleksandr Zinchenko has slipped down the pecking order this season
Winter 2023
Leandro Trossard – £27m from Brighton
Arsenal acted quickly in January 2023 to pivot from Mykhailo Mudryk to Trossard when the Ukrainian moved to Chelsea for £88.5m.
And it is clear the Gunners got the better end of the bargain, with Trossard having made a major impact at the Emirates since then in comparison to Mudryk’s struggles.
The Belgian forward has regularly stepped up with important strikes and has 33 goal contributions in just 45 starts.
Verdict: HIT
Jakub Kiwior – £20m from Spezia
Kiwior has been a reserve option for Arteta since his arrival nearly two years ago, but the Pole has struggled to convince throughout his time at the club.
The defender has failed to live up to his price tag and his recent display against Bournemouth just reaffirmed the doubts about his abilities to shine in the Premier League.
Verdict: MISS
Jorginho – £12m from Chelsea
Another smart pick-up from Arsenal in an unusually busy winter window for a top club, Jorginho has proved to be a reliable option in midfield and a strong presence in the dressing room.
At just £12m, Jorginho has done more than enough to help the Gunners over the past two years.
Verdict: HIT
At a price of £12m, Jorginho has proven to be a smart and reliable signing for the Gunners
Summer 2023
Kai Havertz – £65m from Chelsea
After enduring an extremely tricky start at Arsenal, Havertz was transformed when Arteta moved him up-front, with the German becoming a crucial part of the Gunners’ title challenge in the second half of last season.
That form has continued this time around and Havertz has an impressive 21 goals and eight assists in 66 games.
Verdict: HIT
Kai Havertz has an impressive record of 21 goals and eight assists in 66 games for Arsenal
Jurrien Timber – £38m from Ajax
The Dutchman’s first season at Arsenal was ruined by injury and although Timber is still struggling with niggles, the start of this campaign has showed just why Arteta was so keen to bring him in.
Timber is not only an extremely solid defender, emphasised by his performances against Tottenham, Man City and Liverpool, but he has become a key part of Arsenal’s attacking play too.
Timber is only going to get better the more he plays and the fitter he becomes.
Verdict: HIT
Declan Rice – £105m from West Ham
Rice’s quality was never in doubt before his blockbuster move to Arsenal and the fact that there have been no criticisms of the hefty price tag is testament to the 25-year-old.
Like his midfield partner Odegaard, Rice – who is a club record signing – has been transformative for the Gunners.
Verdict: HIT
Club record signing Declan Rice has, like Odegaard, helped to take Arsenal to the next level
David Raya – loan from Brentford before joining for £27m the following summer
Despite initial reservations about his suitability to replace Ramsdale as Arsenal’s No 1, Raya quickly shut up any doubters and deservedly won the Golden Glove last season.
That form has been continued this time around and there is a strong argument to suggest the Spaniard is the best keeper in the Premier League.
Verdict: HIT
Summer 2024
Tommy Setford – £850k from Ajax
A signing for the future, Setford enjoyed a solid, if uneventful debut during Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Preston in the Carabao Cup last week.
Verdict: JURY’S OUT
Riccardo Calafiori – £42m from Bologna
Despite battling various fitness issues, Calafiori’s early performances have already demonstrated that Arsenal have picked up an extremely talented defender who will no doubt be crucial over the coming seasons.
The injury issues are a concern, but the Italian’s deployment at left back is an upgrade on the likes of Zinchenko, Kiwior and Tomiyasu.
Verdict: HIT
The deployment of Calafiori at left back is an upgrade on Zinchenko, Kiwior and Tomiyasu
Mikel Merino – £31.6m from Real Sociedad
The former Newcastle flop had a disrupted start to his Arsenal career after injuring his shoulder in his first training session.
Merino impressed in his first major test against Liverpool and is likely to be a success, but the sample size of the midfielder is so far too small to make a definitive judgement.
Verdict: JURY’S OUT
Neto – loan from Bournemouth
The Brazilian is yet to make an appearance since his move from Bournemouth, but given his Premier League pedigree, Neto is an upgrade on previous Arsenal’s backup goalkeepers.
Verdict – JURY’S OUT
Raheem Sterling – loan from Chelsea
The next few weeks for Sterling are set to be big, with the Chelsea outcast yet to hit the ground running since his season-long switch to Arsenal.
He has had limited opportunities, but Arteta’s refusal to turn to him during the Gunners’ defeat to Newcastle at the weekend is the sort of move that could set alarm bells ringing.
Verdict: JURY’S OUT
