Arsenal legend Martin Keown has admitted that he has found it “hard to fathom” why Edu left his role as sporting director this week after some very successful years with the North London club.
The Brazilian has been a key man in the Gunners’ rise back to the top of the Premier League after forming a brilliant partnership with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in recent seasons. The 46-year-old brought several of Arsenal’s current biggest stars to the club with two of the most successful being Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.
Speaking on TNT Sports about Edu’s shock exit from the Emirates Stadium, Keown has admitted that he doesn’t understand why the Brazilian has left the Premier League giants and hopes the sporting director has not left his former club for money.
“It is hard to fathom,” the pundit said on TNT Sports. “I would never walk away from that job. It has to be the perfect job in football. I hope it is not money he has left for. He was loved at the club and was doing an amazing job.”
Edu set to triple his money in potential new role away from Arsenal
Follwing the news of Edu’s exit from Arsenal, The Independent reported that Edu looks set to join up with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and his network of clubs.
The Brazilian has been in talks with the Marinakis group and could now lead their recruitment to assist with the likes of Nottingham Forest and Greek club Olympiacos, as well as Portuguese side Rio Ave.
The report states that Edu had ambitions to become CEO at Arsenal, a position the Marinakis group is willing to meet, while also improving his wages by more than three times that of his existing salary at the Emirates.
It remains unclear the exact reason why the 46-year-old has left the North London outfit but it could disappoint fans of the club if it was for money.
Unfinished business? ?@martinkeown5 and @rioferdy5 discuss Edu's "disappointing" departure from Arsenal ?
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/sjbyj9ktsL
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 6, 2024