Arsenal are reportedly closing in on a replacement for sporting director Edu, who recently confirmed heâs leaving the club after five years.
Edu has played a huge role in Arsenalâs development under head coach Mikel Arteta as they have become regular contenders for the Premier League title.
The 46-year-old is regarded as one of footballâs leading sporting directors, so it was a shock when it was announced that he had decided to leave Arsenal.
He reportedly rejected a âlucrativeâ offer from Arsenal to become a global head of football for Evangelos Marinakis, who owns Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave.
Last week, a report from respected journalist David Ornstein revealed Edu âwill serve a six-month notice periodâ and assistant Jason Ayto âsteps up on an interim basisâ while Arsenal âconduct the process of securing a permanent successorâ.
There has been a fresh development as a report from The Athletic has revealed that âReal Sociedad director of football Roberto Olabe to leave at end of seasonâ.
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This is said to be a âsurprise development that will place some of the gameâs leading clubs on high alertâ. The report explained.
âOlabe told Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay of his decision last summer, before the transfer window that saw him secure the sale of Mikel Merino to Arsenal and negotiate with Liverpool over Martin Zubimendiâs proposed switch to Anfield, although the midfielder eventually chose to stay.
âDespite his contract running until June 2026, Olabe has opted to step aside early; he wanted to give Real Sociedad sufficient warning and their process to replace him is advanced.
âThe club later announced the move while also confirming that Erik Bretos, who currently oversees the clubâs recruitment and scouting, will replace him from next season.
âOlabe does not yet have a new job but is certain to attract significant interest after an impressive spell in San Sebastian.â
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A subsequent report in Italy claims Olabe âaims for Arsenalâ and has already âsecuredâ his next move.
âRoberto Olabe will leave Real Sociedad at the end of the season and everything points to him having already secured a new destination.
âAccording to various reports that have reached the editorial office, the sporting directorâs destination could take him to London, specifically to Arsenal.
âThe team coached by Mikel Arteta needs to reinforce its technical secretary, and Edu will leave the position on June 30, so all bets point to Olabe as a replacement.â
Gary Neville has said âsomething doesnât smell rightâ with Eduâs exit from Arsenal.
âSomething doesnât smell right and youâre thinking, âIf something doesnât smell right and it doesnât look right, itâs normally not rightâ,â Neville said.
âWe havenât got the detail, we donât know whatâs happening completely. We know that, obviously, heâs going to go and work for the owner of Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos.
âIf I was Arsenal, youâd be asking serious questions how youâve lost your sporting director of what is an amazing football club, a club that Iâve just said is the second club in England, in terms of history and tradition, to go and work for the guy who runs Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest.
âIt doesnât sound right to me. Now look, it might be a financial package which is just so sensational for Edu that basically he thinks: âWell actually, I canât turn it down for my familyâ. But I canât believe heâs not earning significant money at Arsenal.â
