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.

                    From Telegraph (via BBC gossip):

                    Mikel Arteta will have a major say in how the club replace Edu as sporting director.

                    Can't read the full article but would be interested to know what this means. Arteta should have some say (ie. Comfortable working with them) but really shouldn't be involved in the decision-making. Again, I say this as a critic of the structure rather than a critic of Arteta.

                      Don Pacifico Let's face it, it's been very evident Arteta is the new Arsene.

                      If its working well for us let it be. He gets all the power

                          Clrnc I think there is even questions about is it working well because I don't think the transfer strategy so far has been balanced correctly and is why we struggle in many of the same areas. Also the Arsene being all powerful was a big contribution to our awful second period of his tenure.