When Edu arrived at Arsenal the expectation was that suddenly swathes of Brazilian players would begin to arrive at the north London side and whilst some arrived, it was far from the scouting masterclass many predicted.
Gabriel Martinelli joined Arsenal in the same summer as Edu however this was a deal put in place by those at the club prior to the technical director’s arrival. Arsenal also signed David Luiz that window and extended the defender’s deal in the following summer when Willian arrived. However, these experienced players failed to impress, and both have since left.
Arsenal under Mikel Arteta has been a side moving in the direction of youth. Edu oversaw the arrival of Gabriel Magalhaes in the summer of 2020, but the following mid-year transfer window saw six signings come in, none of whom were Brazilian.
