Arsenal's Edu Explains Dismissal Of Scouting Team: 'I Want To Work With Less People'

Arsenal technical director Edu defended his decision to dismiss the club’s experienced scouting team, citing that his vision to work with a smaller network is explicit for him.

“It is clear for me,” said Edu, via Goal. “I want to work with less people.”

The Brazilian executive executed an extensive review that led to the departure of the club’s former head of recruitment, Francis Cagigao, who worked for the Gunners for 24 years and was responsible for bringing in top signings like Cesc Fabregas, Hector Bellerin, Santi Cazorla, Nacho Monreal, and Gabriel Martinelli, to name a few.

Top-rated scouts Brian McDermott, Peter Clark, and Ty Gooden were also sacked from their respective posts due to massive front office overhaul.

“I want to work with StatDNA a lot more, which we have internally here at the club and is very important. The people I want to work with, I want them to be very close to me. I want to create a group of people working together.

“I don’t want individual people working in one area or for one country. I want a group working together. Less people with much more responsibilities.”

The move sparked speculation that the management is just trying to cut costs as the club, just like most other sports organizations, is also strained financially by the pandemic.

But sources close to the north London squad dismissed the claim, insisting that Edu is simply laying his groundwork on what he thinks is a more efficient way of running the club’s scouting process.

“That is my vision and for me in this process the most important thing is that everyone is very clear on the responsibilities which everyone has to make the right decision,” he added.

Edu, who also played as an attacking midfielder at the Emirates Stadium for four years, is working in his first full summer transfer window since taking the job as technical director for the Gunners.

“The market right now is a challenging one,” said the 41-year-old, who has already taken in Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes, Dani Ceballos, Pablo Mari, and Cedric Soares since taking the executive post.

“Everybody is waiting, everybody wants to do swaps, everybody is talking about loans.”

Edu stressed the need for his team to make clear-sighted decisions as he continues to preach patience with the transfer window scheduled to close on Oct. 6.