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Edu & Vinai: The Dream Team

Nunowoolmez

Established Member
Can't pull complex deals? What was Jesus with a year in contract? Many top clubs were after him which was totally expected, and UEL Arsenal got him for 45 million. One of the best deals this year. But I'm sure you find excuses why you can't give Edu any credit for it.

Funny you say Edu hasn't delivered on his job description. Take a look around where Arsenal is and how the squad is rebuilt, only needing a couple top players, which they already tried to get this January which is a difficult market as anyone should know.

Yes if he botches next summer, I join you, but you don't care about circumstances, so you can't see why his earlier business has been what it has. So there's no use even to explain those to you. You will be surprised in the summer.

"Six clubs approached agents of Gabriel Jesus but his priority has always been Arsenal - director Edu and Mikel Arteta, key to complete the deal."

Edu didnt have to work very hard as Jesus decided from the start he wanted us. The Arteta connection etc. Same with Zinny..
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Can someone name me a deal where you think 'Wow Edu really did a good job there' because I can't.

I'm not talking about the quality of player but getting a deal over the line that looked hard to pull off from the outset.

Edu's got no pedigree to speak of, that's not really his fault and his track record with getting deals, particularly big ones over the line here hasn't exactly been stellar. Is it that wrong or unfair to want a proven commodity with the track record to back it up?

Realistically how confident would members on here be with Edu going up against his Chelsea counterpart for Rice in the summer or god forbid going up against Real Madrid for Bellingham.

Bellingham would be a long shot admittedly Edu or not but these of the calibre of players we need to be signing to push on. If Edu isn't good at getting big deals signed sealed and delivered then I don't think it's heresy to want him replaced.
Edu has done a very good job on many deals, but you guys can't see it or understand the circumstances. And like I said above, he planned Jesus last January and trusted and later extended Nketiah, who now has very big value because of it, and trusted him even for this season. How did you see these things at the time?

You guys seem to want to overpay a lot, and then you could say: "Wow Edu is a mastermind like Boehly".

You're the one who suggested that Edu should be replaced next summer. Like I said tbf that's totally ridiculous. Never thought I'd see that from you, you seem sensible poster usually.
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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Country: England
Yeah, just like I assumed, no credit to Edu at all. Naturally UEL Arsenal is a top draw for one of the most sought after players in the world.
I mentioned that Edu and Jesus had a past relationship. That's giving him credit for the Jesus transfer. Not a repeatable transfer strategy though is it unless we want to sign the Brazil national team?
Players don't necessarily give a damn about some certain manager when big clubs come, or someone pays much more money. Even Chelsea wanted him, and we know they pay over the top.
Besides Chelsea I'm sure we would have paid Jesus more than the other interested clubs, he also had a good relationship with Edu and Arteta which worked in our favour.

Again..that makes it a 'relatively' easy deal.
Btw. Edu planned the whole deal in January, by not getting an expensive stop-gap striker and trusting Nketiah.
That's nice. But again, I'm not calling Edu crap. Not getting an expensive stop-gap just seems to be showing a decent amount of competency.
You will be surprised too. You have never seen Edu manage a club who has UCL.
No I haven't but neither have you. I have valid fears of him being unable to get big deals across the line and we have clear evidence of that, am I saying he never will in the future? Nope. But what reason do I have to think he will?

Look at all the factors we had on our side re: Jesus. He knew Edu and Mikel, was running down his contract, City didn't view us as rivals, we could give him a very competitive wage package.

Now take any player who can clearly improve us...how many of those factors apply there?
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
That's fine. But that's what he did, and that's easier than signing somebodies. Remember this all goes back to the point of: I'm not sure he has it in him to be an elite DoF or wtf he is.

Doesn't counter or add to anything I said lol.

I said the excuses were valid. If that converts it into a factor then cool. Not sure what what the point of this paragraph was really but I guess you were on a roll!

The point of this paragraph was to highlight that January was messier than usual, but if that's the window you choose to judge Edu on then be my guest.

The pair of them have proven me wrong more than once, I need to see proper failure for me to jump out the window again.

Wow we do our best work in Summer? Like pretty much every other club? Damn, that's crazy. I've marked June in my calendar! Also don't tarnish my argument by reducing it to being about hyped names.

I don't even know what you're mad at here lol. Edu not pulling out miracles in Jan or wasn't mindlessly blowing money like Boehly?

Tell me something, had Edu closed the deal with Mudryk and Caceido 80 mil initial fees each, would you guys say job well done? or would you guys question why he couldn't negotiate the fee down?

I know you wouldn't do the last one but I feel like many would still have loads to say.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Edu didnt have to work very hard as Jesus decided from the start he wanted us. The Arteta connection etc. Same with Zinny..
Romano said both Edu and Arteta we part of it. Edu was part of planning no striker in January when Vlahovic went to Juventus, to guarantee Jesus a starting striker role which was very important part of him choosing Arsenal.

He along with Arteta trusted Nketiah, and saved Arsenal hell of a lot of money by getting him extended and trusting him to be 2nd striker since last January and even this season.

Edu had to make sure big clubs don't hijack the deal. Get everything in such a way that Jesus only wants Arsenal and even big money from top clubs won't attract him.

But yeah, he does nothing. Simple Arteta connection is all there is to deals like this.
 

Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
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Player:Rice
Name an example? because I'd just point you to Jesus who had a couple of suitors and Ødegaard - the loan a number of clubs wanted him and the permanent deal was a bargain.

Tomiyasu Sp**s wanted him and there is no City connection for you to credit the whole signing to Arteta in this instance, or Brazilian connection there.

Furthermore, what's wrong with identifying lesser known targets, securing them and performing like Ben White? That's what Arsenal has always done why has Mudryk and Caceido changed this for some of you?

Maybe I'm being harsh but to me both Jesus and Ødegaard were situations where circumstances favoured us.

Jesus was coached by Arteta at Man City. Pep and Arteta are mates and I think he did Arsenal a bit of a favour there. I don't think Chelsea would have got him as easily or maybe at all tbh. Same as Zinchenko.

Ødegaard had a nice loan here, I think we were probably his favoured permanent option if he left Real.

These are deals I'd expect someone fairly competent to pull off.

Tomiyasu was a decent buy but I don't know if taking a player off Bologna on deadline day is that much to write home about when it comes to Edu's deal making abilities.

I'm not at all against signing lesser known players or ones for lesser fees but I think with us being back in the CL next season we should be in a financial position to make one high value, marquee player most summers. I just don't know from what I've seen to date that Edu has it in him.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
Maybe I'm being harsh but to me both Jesus and Ødegaard were situations where circumstances favoured us.

Jesus was coached by Arteta at Man City. Pep and Arteta are mates and I think he did Arsenal a bit of a favour there. I don't think Chelsea would have got him as easily or maybe at all tbh.

Ødegaard had a nice loan here, I think we were probably his favoured permanent option if he left Real.

These are deals I'd expect someone fairly competent to pull off.

Tomiyasu was a decent buy but I don't know if taking a player off Bologna on deadline day is that much to write home about when it comes to Edu's deal making abilities.

I'm not at all against signing lesser known players or ones for lesser fees but I think with us being back in the CL next season we should be in a financial position to make one high value, marquee player most summers. I just don't know from what I've seen to date that Edu has it in him.

Fair enough, I don't particularly feel like Jesus and Ødegaard fell in our laps as I remember it differently, particularly Ødegaard's initial loan. Jesus also had many options I think some of you put too much weight on the Arteta relationship but that's just me (I feel like pay packet and minutes was the ultimate factor but whatever).

You still didn't provide an example of deals in current Jan that impressed you enough to criticise Edu. I even made it easier and said provide one in general but you didn't, which leads me to believe that you and Trilly are being somewhat unreasonable.

Trilly disappointed we didn't get hype young talent, you from the standpoint that Edu is holding Arteta back.
 

Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
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Player:Rice
Fair enough, I don't particularly feel like Jesus and Ødegaard fell in our laps as I remember it differently, particularly Ødegaard's initial loan. Jesus also had many options I think some of you put too much weight on the Arteta relationship but that's just me (I feel like pay packet and minutes was the ultimate factor but whatever).

You still didn't provide an example of deals in current Jan that impressed you enough to criticise Edu. I even made it easier and said provide one in general but you didn't, which leads me to believe that you and Trilly are being somewhat unreasonable.

Trilly disappointed we didn't get young talent, you from the standpoint that Edu is holding Arteta back.

Well tbh I don't know. I haven't really followed the market in January closely unless it's been something Arsenal related.

All that I can say is we made 3 low key squad signings that I'm pretty happy with but missed out on the two big money, first eleven players we went for. Mudryk I can't blame Edu for as Chelsea are lunatics but the Caicedo situation was a bit of a fiasco.

Edu's not going anywhere in the short term, so if he gets Rice over the line in the summer or a similar level of signing my views on him will probably change.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Ødegaard had a nice loan here, I think we were probably his favoured permanent option if he left Real.
Who loaned Ødegaard in the first place, even with no option to buy? Real didn't naturally agree to one.

People here were saying (like GDeep), that he needs time to adjust and can't help us, and we are only helping Real to develop their players. They didn't want the loan, and I was like wtf.

Look what happened. Edu masterclass. The player's head got turned and he only wanted Arsenal. Arsenal got one of the biggest bargains of the window. And he still could have chosen a top club other than Arsenal, pretty sure there were takers for that sum to hijack it.

But yeah, no credit to Edu here either. Easy peasy, it happened all automatically like magic.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Here is one explanation of this window's business from Arsenal. Btw. the Jorginho deal is apparently 10+2, and +1 if Arsenal win the league, but who cares. Can be read with reader mode in some browsers.

It explains some of the things like how money was supposed to go to Mudryk, then it freed money when it didn't happen, then Elneny got injured in the middle of January, and after that Arsenal tried to get Caicedo etc. I have mentioned some of these things here before.

What's interesting is that people complain that Edu hasn't bought a DMF, but clearly Arteta has seen Elneny good enough until next window's market, when Arsenal has UCL attraction and the midfielder market is one of the best in a while. I bet this is Edu & Arteta planning too, but people don't believe it, just think he is slacking on a DMF. He has improved other areas in the meanwhile.

It also says that Balogun could have been recalled, but it would have meant financial penalties and they think he should develop there this season.

 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
Well tbh I don't know. I haven't really followed the market in January closely unless it's been something Arsenal related.

All that I can say is we made 3 low key squad signings that I'm pretty happy with but missed out on the two big money, first eleven players we went for. Mudryk I can't blame Edu for as Chelsea are lunatics but the Caicedo situation was a bit of a fiasco.

Edu's not going anywhere in the short term, so if he gets Rice over the line in the summer or a similar level of signing my views on him will probably change.

Arteta and Edu need each other anyways.

When Arteta was 8th with zero experience he stuck by him when the club probably could have got a bigger name manager, who would dictate to Edu.

Likewise when Edu “has to be disciplined” and perhaps not get his ideal target, Arteta accepts it because he could have a well known director who tells him “you’re playing our record signing make him work”.

Both being inexperienced allows a minimal ego dynamic I suspect.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
After how badly Willian went, you would think Arteta would learn...but pushing to sign ANOTHER ageing Chelsea player (that they are looking to offload) after they beat us to other signings, genuinely makes the club look like a little b1tch.

Very disappointed with Mikel if we end up signing another Chelsea gimp, it's taken the shine off this season quite badly.
His agent said that Chelsea offered him a new contract. I think they would have even liked to keep him (he has played 18 games in EPL and 6 games in UCL, averaging 70 minutes per game for Chelsea), but it was good enough offer to convince them to sell to Arsenal now rather than lose him for free.

People say Jorginho fell under Arsenal's lap by luck, but I really think Edu and Arteta could have been whispering in his ear, not to sign anything too fast if things change.

This was from 29th December 2022:

"Losing either player on a free transfer would be a blow, however, and Jorginho's agent has confirmed that Chelsea have put an offer on the table for the Italian.

"We have a renewal proposal and we give priority to Chelsea," Joao Santos told TMW."

 

db10_therza

🎵 Edu getting rickrolled 🎵
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Country: Bangladesh

Player:Martinelli
You still didn't provide an example of deals in current Jan that impressed you enough to criticise Edu. I even made it easier and said provide one in general but you didn't, which leads me to believe that you and Trilly are being somewhat unreasonable.

Bit hurt that you name dropped Trilly and Blood but missed me out tbh 😢

It’s ok I’ll live. Anyway back to this, I think @Trilly summed it up well when he asked “What has Edu done that has made you sit up and go ‘wow’”?

We had an inexperienced manage/DOF duo. The manager has now delivered enough ‘Wow’ moments that I’ve got dry cleaners on speed dial to sort out my pants.

Edu is still kind waiting for his wow moment. Different fans have different bars as well I guess. Doesn’t help Edu either that Mikel has knocked it so far out of the park that when you look at them together he kinda sticks out a bit.

The one major thing in Edu’s defence for me is the role the board are playing, which is abstracted away from us. We have no idea what’s going on there. What I do know, is that when building the squad we needed lots of up to 50m level signings and the Kroenkes backed us. And I mean backed us. Now that the squad is built, our expenditure levels don’t need to go up, but instead of say 4x50m signings we might just need 1x150m signing in a single window. Remains to be seen if they trust Edteta to make that call.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
Edu is still kind waiting for his wow moment. Different fans have different bars as well I guess. Doesn’t help Edu either that Mikel has knocked it so far out of the park that when you look at them together he kinda sticks out a bit.

The one major thing in Edu’s defence for me is the role the board are playing, which is abstracted away from us. We have no idea what’s going on there. What I do know, is that when building the squad we needed lots of up to 50m level signings and the Kroenkes backed us. And I mean backed us. Now that the squad is built, our expenditure levels don’t need to go up, but instead of say 4x50m signings we might just need 1x150m signing in a single window. Remains to be seen if they trust Edteta to make that call.
They work as a team as far as I know. You can't totally dismiss either.

Do they back him? Well duh, they just tried to get Mudryk and Caicedo in January.

It's fairly obvious what the plan is. Now they go for big signings, but they needed to reinforce in January, and they did much better than many other teams.

So you will see those big money signings in the coming windows. All the signs are there, and anyone can see that you don't need to buy those cheaper punts anymore as the earlier ones were mostly great and the spine is ready.

But you keep doubting that because they didn't buy players with very little experience for ~100+ million.
 

db10_therza

🎵 Edu getting rickrolled 🎵
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Country: Bangladesh

Player:Martinelli
They work as a team as far as I know. You can't totally dismiss either.

Do they back him? Well duh, they just tried to get Mudryk and Caicedo in January.

It's fairly obvious what the plan is. Now they go for big signings, but they needed to reinforce in January, and they did much better than many other teams.

So you will see those big money signings in the coming windows. All the signs are there, and anyone can see that you don't need to buy those cheaper punts anymore as the earlier ones were mostly great and the spine is ready.

But you keep doubting that because they didn't buy players with very little experience for ~100+ million.

We’re doubting because we haven’t seen it. If that’s not a valid foundation for doubt then I don’t know what is. I’m even holding the board accountable here and not Edu, I don’t know what you want anymore. Please leave me alone 🙏

(Edited the post to take out the insult it was unnecessary apologies @drippin )
 

Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
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Player:Rice
This is the point isn't it, it's not about the quality of the player or if it was Edu or Arteta's decision to go for him.

It's about why when we go in for high value players we don't seem to be able to get them over the line. That can't be on anyone but Edu, he's the one that negotiates these deals.
 

db10_therza

🎵 Edu getting rickrolled 🎵
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Player:Martinelli
This is the point isn't it, it's not about the quality of the player or if it was Edu or Arteta's decision to go for him.

It's about why when we go in for high value players we don't seem to be able to get them over the line. That can't be on anyone but Edu, he's the one that negotiates these deals.
Yeah with the caveat that it might be the board as well. If say we want kvaradonna in the summer and they give Edu 100m to work with it won’t matter if he drops to his knees and unzips De Laurentiis, that deal ain’t going through.

It’s just, if we were in that position, I’d like to think we wouldn’t have bothered to bid once we found out the budget. But I’m pretty sure Edu would and we’d end up looking like idiots.
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
This is the point isn't it, it's not about the quality of the player or if it was Edu or Arteta's decision to go for him.

It's about why when we go in for high value players we don't seem to be able to get them over the line.
That can't be on anyone but Edu, he's the one that negotiates these deals.
Care to list all the high value players we have missed?
 
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