Don Pacifico Also need to take into account those signings were made without CL football. We had finished 5th and I think the teams above us had strengthened significantly and City/Liverpool were miles ahead anyway. Those signings transformed us into Title challengers. A lot us couldn't even see a way to get into the Top 4 let alone challenge for the title.

    I don't think everything has to be melodrama. Previously in his career Edu's been good at making moves at the right moment for himself, and that looks like what he's doing now.

    Edu's probably correctly reasoned his next two or three seasons at Arsenal were more likely to tarnish his record or leave it unimproved. He'd have had to make a lot of big sales and potentially contend with a shortfall of major trophies. This way he'll slide into a more senior role getting more money and arguably under less pressure.

    Meatwad Vieira and Kiwior is Edu's find. Doing my research, he signed Trusty, Turner and Marquinhos too.

    His other signings include Lokonga, Pablo Mari and Gabriel Magalhes. The rest were all Arteta's signings reportedly. Believable to me

      Mirth

      It never ceases to amaze me how people jump to conclusions without having a scooby about what went on being closed door or being privy to the internal engagement.

          Confirmed, Edu has joined the Forest Group.

          Edu will triple his salary and be THE key figure there. Congrats to him and thanks for everything

          Looks more and more like he was head hunted and given a better deal, fair enough really. The guy who will be very hard to replace in Arteta the rest can all be replaced. We have competent people at the top so I think we'll find someone good.

          daredevil It never ceases to amaze me how people jump to conclusions without having a scooby about what went on being closed door or being privy to the internal engagement.

          It makes for fun reading though.

            Bit of a blow. On the looks of it Edu had a very good working relationship with Mikel but it also gives the club the opportunity to find someone perhaps even more capable. Just don't want an internal solution to replace him. New ideas and input please.

            Mirth sure, it's not entirely transparent what their impact is but there are some indicators. And people like Monchi had reputations relating to recruitment well before he left Sevilla.

            Is it telling he's going to Forest/Olympiakos and not somewhere better...?

                Don Pacifico it’s telling that he’s getting a big salary bump. They’re trying to build the next City Group / Red bull style global organisation

                    They say his salary is tripling. There's also way less pressure. No brainer for someone more career-minded, and in some ways, it reveals why this might be a good thing for Arsenal (as long as we recruit from outside the org).

                      Coombs yeah, I'm inclined to think we could have given him a salary he'd be happy with but decided he wasn't worth anywhere near what he's been offered.

                        He seemed a decent guy and was a well liked former player. Oversaw some big improvement but ultimately we haven't won anything for 4 years and this past summer was a disaster that we're now paying for in dropped points. Perhaps this is an opportunity for further improvement.

                          lorddulaarsenal hard to imagine that someone so deeply embedded in one institution could somehow replicate it elsewhere. Guy has been at Leverkusen for like 20 years.

                            Thanks Edu - seemed like a decent guy who gets Arsenal. No one is irreplaceable though, not even Arteta. Let's just hope the next person in is even better. Improving our attack and creativity is surely the next task.