England legend Alan Shearer names the three best signings Edu made at Arsenal

Edu has resigned from his role as Arsenal’s sporting director (Picture: Getty)

Alan Shearer fears Mikel Arteta has lost a key ally in Edu after the Arsenal sporting director confirmed his resignation earlier this week.

The Brazilian has been credited with having played a major role in masterminding the Gunners return to the top table of European football.

Edu, a member of the club’s last Premier League title winning team, returned to the club in 2019 and initially worked as technical director under Raul Sanllehi’s regime.

Promoted after the Spaniard’s departure, Edu was a key factor in brining Arteta to the club as Unai Emery’s successor and the pair have formed a strong alliance.

‘As ever, the part of football that weakens your position as a manager is poor results, and ultimately if you suffer poor results, it always helps if you’ve got someone inside the club who you know and trust, and who you get on well with,’ Shearer told Betfair, reacting to Edu’s shock exit.

‘Clearly Mikel Arteta had a good relationship with Edu, and whoever they bring in next, it will be vital to develop that once again, because that link between Director of Football and Head Coach is key to the success of any football club.

‘You must be aligned, and you must know how to get along and to trust each other. It goes without saying that is hugely important.

Edu and Mikel Arteta formed a strong alliance at Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

‘It’s difficult to say whether Edu leaving will strengthen or weaken Arteta’s position as manager, because you don’t know who’s going to come in, but he is losing an ally, someone he knows and trusts, which is a huge thing at that level.

‘It was a huge surprise to me when I read the news that Edu decided to leave, I don’t think anybody expected it as it was out of the blue.

‘I wonder if Edu may have felt his position was weakened somehow, but I’m only guessing about that. Perhaps he wanted to go out and do certain things he wasn’t allowed to do at Arsenal, but I don’t know that either.

‘It would have to be something incredibly special to prize him away from what he’s got and for what he’s done at Arsenal, because that alignment and relationship with Arteta, has made Arsenal serious challengers to Man City’s throne.’

Together Arteta and Edu changed Arsenal’s transfer strategy and three signings in particular stand out for Shearer.

He added: ‘Looking through the list of the players Edu has signed at the club, there have been some great additions. 

‘The partnership of Gabriel and William Saliba has been key to what Arsenal are all about under Mikel Arteta though, and I would also add Martin Odegaard into the top three under Edu’s stewardship. Odegaard is an incredible football player and is the one name they’ve really missed this season.

‘I was close to putting Declan Rice in there as well but those three are incredible and without a doubt are the standouts.’

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