Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of former player Edu as the club's technical director.
The ex-midfielder has re-joined the Gunners from the Brazilian football confederation after helping the nation to lift the Copa America.
The move had been on the cards for some time, As football.london revealed last month , and was imminent once Brazil announced the 41-year-old's replacement on Tuesday afternoon.
In his new role at the Emirates, Edu will work with the first team coaches and will have a say on scouting and recruitment at the club. It is believed that the Brazilian had a big part to play in Gabriel Martinelli's move to Arsenal.
Following official confirmation of his appointment, Edu spoke of how he hopes to make a positive impact on his old club.
“Arsenal has always had a special place in my heart and I’m thrilled to be returning to this great club in this new role," he told the club's official website. "We have a strong squad and some very talented young players with fantastic people at every level. I’m looking forward to helping make a difference.”
Edu will have to get straight to work on the recruitment side of the role, as manager Unai Emery looks to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season.
The Spaniard has so far been frustrated in his attempts to add to his squad, but the appointment of Edu may just give Arsenal a boost in the transfer market that they may need.
Head of football Raul Sanllehi told the official website: “We’re very excited that Edu is joining the team. He has great experience and technical football knowledge and most importantly is a true Arsenal man. He understands the club and what we stand for to our millions of fans around the world.
“His arrival is the final and very important part of the jigsaw in our development of a new football infrastructure to take us forward. He will be working closely with Unai Emery and the first-team coaches, and will play a relevant role leading our football vision and ensuring we have - and follow - a solid philosophy through all our football activities.”
