Arsenal: Edu deserves some credit as technical director

Edu doesn’t have many admirers in north London. Not unless they’re wearing fancy suits in boardrooms and their work centres heavily around having clients who kick footballs for a living. But, for all his mishaps at Arsenal, he does deserve some credit.

Anyone expecting a eulogy can turn away now. Edu is, most certainly, not getting one. Just because Willian is no longer at the club doesn’t mean that deal has been forgotten about, among all the other glaring errors.

However, back on point, the technical director has just played a pivotal role in bringing in six new players to the tune of a club record £150m spend, providing Mikel Arteta with the closest thing he’s known to a workable squad.

These were deals Edu got over the line, and moves that constitute a clear strategy. This is, undoubtedly, a positive step.

Edu deserves some credit as Arsenal technical director with his explanation of the summer transfer window – but it ends there

Where he gets credit is elsewhere, though. The six arrivals this window are strong additions paving the way for a more sustainable future, but it’s that he’s clearly laid this out which is where credit should be given.

Everyone has their opinion of the cigar smoking yacht enthusiast. Most of those feelings best not said. However, him openly discussing the reasons behind the strategy seen taken place this summer, in the eloquent manner he did, is something refreshing. For all his bad traits (and woeful decisions) when a call is made in the club he does come out to explain it.

Giving Arteta a promotion to manager was a mistake. At least the offered his reasons for it alongside Vinai Venkatesham.

His long interview with both Sky Sports and on the Arsenal website is an insight into the decision making that has to be welcomed. While supporters were able to discern the approach behind the work undertaken, it is important to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

Edu does speak well. He’s publicly explained an shift in approach when fans are often disheartened by the lack of clarity. There has been a clear effort to be transparent. He is by no means a genius or working wonders but at least he’s trying to bridge a gap.

It also doesn’t exempt him from any blame, or put aside his past failings. Are there holes to pick in what he said? Absolutely. For example, some of his explanations lack basis and stating that this transfer strategy had been in the offing for a year is muddied by the Pablo Mari, Cedric and Willian deals.

What it does do is give the floor to Arteta, who now has to produce results with the supposed fruits of Edu’s labour.

Nobody is out of the woods and there is spilled milk we will all still cry over. However, while the ‘if’ and ‘when’ is still to come, at least we know more of the ‘why’.