Who could replace Edu as Arsenal’s sporting director? See some of the suspected candidates below and their suitability for an ultra-demanding role.
Edu Departs After Five Successful Years at Arsenal
Before Edu Arsenal had never had a sporting director, but such is the impact the Brazilian had behind the scenes that he was handed the lion’s share of responsibility in the technical department.
In a bombshell week for the Gunners, which has also seen them slip seven points behind league leaders Liverpool, they now must come to terms with the departure of one of the key driving forces behind their resurgence.
Some of Edu’s best signings have blossomed into a collection of the finest players in world football, with William Saliba, Gabriel and Martin Odegaard just some of the few in a spellbinding inventory.
And now, whoever steps up to replace Edu must take up a mantle that didn’t even exist at the club before his arrival.
Below are a collection of names who could realistically replace Edu as Arsenal’s sporting director.
Who Could Take Over From Edu as Arsenal’s Sporting Director?
Per Mertesacker
Arsenal is a club built doing things in a certain way – it exists with a very distinct culture that only those who have played or worked for can understand.
Hiring from within automatically ticks those boxes, and from an economic standpoint it wouldn’t incur compensation to third parties.
With that in mind, Per Mertesacker is an obvious candidate.
A former club captain with over 150 appearances for the Gunners, the towering German certainly understands the demands of the club better than most.
Since the 2017-18 season he has been Arsenal’s academy chief, nurturing talent with a holistic approach, from U8’s to the first team.The likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka have managed to find clear pathways to the senior side.
As a former teammate of Mikel Arteta, the relationship is already well-established. In fact, upon the Spaniard’s retirement in 2016, he wrote a personal letter to then-chief executive Ivan Gazidis urging him to find a role for Mertesacker at the club.
Of course, they duly obliged and Arsenal’s academy has been churning out world-beating talent under his tenure.
Whether he has the experience Arsenal are looking for in a title-challenging sporting director is unclear, but his knowledge of the inner workings of the club, his relationship with Arteta and a proven record for nurturing young talent makes him a standout candidate.
Laurent Koscielny
Per Mertesacker’s former centre-back partner Laurent Koscielny is worth a mention given his understanding of the club.
Since retiring from football in 2022, the Frenchman has been busy behind the scenes at the side that gave him his first taste of top-flight football – Lorient.
After a brief stint managing the U17 side, he is now the club’s sporting director as of June 2024. After being relegated from Ligue 1 last season, they are well on their way to a promotion push in Ligue 2.
His post-football career is still very much in its infancy, and it is unlikely Arsenal will shoulder that kind of responsibility on a relative rookie.
However, his Arsenal connection is clear cut and the club have been known to hold a preference for hiring former employees.
Paolo Maldini
Looking further afield, there are several sporting directors out of, or soon-to-be out of work that hold real pedigree.
Not least perhaps the finest defender of all-time, Paolo Maldini, who is without an employer after having his contract terminated by AC Milan.
He was recognised as the Sporting Director of the Year in 2022 by the Globe Soccer Awards having built a Serie A-winning squad in the 2021/22 season.
During his tenure, the likes of Theo Hernandez, Fikayo Tomori, Rafael Leao and Mike Maignan were lured by his vision for the future – all of whom remain at the San Siro.
That is quite the resumé for a man who commands respect wherever he goes. His arrival would certainly spark a certain hysteria around the Emirates given his stature in world football, and he has the title-winning credentials as a director to back it up.
Txiki Begiristain
This next one could be worth casting a keen eye over.
Txiki Begiristain’s departure from Manchester City will be confirmed in the summer of 2025 after 12 years at the club. After intending to quit his role as sporting director over five years ago, he extended his stay in England after being enthused by a period of unprecedented success.
While suggestions had been made the 60-year-old intended to retire post-Manchester City, it has been confirmed he will only be taking a sabbatical; this makes him an interesting candidate for a new role – perhaps Arsenal?
“Part of me is leaving. A friend of mine, an architect who created one of the best teams at Barcelona and here. Personally he will be missed a lot,” Pep Guardiola said upon his announcement.
He has been an integral part of City’s domestic and European dominance over the past decade, firstly bringing in former Barcelona teammate Pep Guardiola at the helm and adding the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and David Silva on the pitch.
Speaking of his work with Edu, Mikel Arteta said: “It has to be well-respected and the rules have to be really clear.
“You have to share the same ideas but at the same time you have to challenge each other because sometimes coaches have all the ideas and we want something right now, but it might not be the best thing for the club.”
Begiristain will almost certainly share similar ideas to Arteta having worked together closely at Man City. A figure as respected as him immediately jumps to the top of the list, but their existing relationship makes this an even more intriguing connection.
