Edu sends message to Arsenal fans and new sporting director after officially leaving Gunners

Edu has thanked the Arsenal fans and the club's hierarchy as he delivers his parting message after playing a huge role in the club's revival. The sporting director will officially leave his role, which

The Brazilian will leave to take up a senior role overseeing Evangelos Marinakis multi-club model, which comes after his impressive work in north London. The club's former player, who was part of the Invincible team, returned to help make the club a force once more and has presided over key moments.

Together with Edu has turned into a team capable of challenging for honours once more, owing to some shrewd recruitment, which he has been crucial in. The likes of Gabriel, Martin Odegaard and the club-record signing of have all joined during his period as sporting director.

He said on social media: "Thank you, Arsenal. Thank you, Gunners! With a heart full of gratitude, today formally I close one of the most meaningful chapters of my professional life. After five and a half years, my journey officially as Sporting Director of Arsenal FC has come to the end."

Edu also added: "The mission of bringing Arsenal back where it belongs among football’s elite, driving a cultural shift, keep competing for trophies, and making qualification the minimum expectation for a club of Arsenal’s size."

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Arsenal have finished second for each of the past two seasons, taking last season's title race to the final day, and are on course to finish second once again this season. Having once been labelled as a toxic atmosphere, the Emirates has now become a huge strength for the Gunners.

Their north London home has welcomed back Champions League football and seen some memorable wins with Edu labelling their Emirates home as an "amplified version" of Highbury, where he enjoyed some atmospheric nights as an Arsenal player.

He said: "Throughout this process of rebuilding, you the fans were an essential part of everything! To the supporters, my most sincere thank you ! The support, the energy, and the connection we felt again in every match were simply special. The Emirates became an amplified version of the old Highbury atmosphere! To have experienced this alongside you is something I will never forget."

Edu claimed he was only now communicating because he wanted to show "respect for the club" as he waited until his final day despite serving leave for several months. Arsenal have confirmed that Andrea Berta will assume the role from Edu. The outgoing sporting director sent his "warmest wishes to the new Sporting Director", adding that he "takes on this beautiful role".

Berta arrives in north London with a strong reputation throughout Europe. He worked for Italian sides Parma and Genoa before joining Atletico Madrid in 2013. While in the Spanish captial he was instrumental in signing the likes of Rodri and Antoine Griezmann.

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