Arsenal: William Saliba’s future, a new star No9 and the huge task facing Edu replacement

When Mikel Arteta sits down connected Tuesday nighttime to talk to the assembled media astatine the San Siro Stadium, 1 taxable volition predominate the agenda.

It volition not beryllium however Arsenal’s patchy signifier has dented their rubric bid, Martin Odegaard’s impending instrumentality oregon a blockbuster Champions League showdown with Inter Milan.

The timing of Edu’s departure is acold from ideal, with Arsenal going done a sticky tally of signifier and the January transportation model conscionable astir the corner. The nine are besides looking for a caller manager for their women’s squad and, successful his relation arsenic sporting director, Edu would person been progressive successful that process.

It is presently unclear what Edu’s announcement play is oregon what compensation Arsenal would beryllium owed erstwhile helium takes up enactment elsewhere, but what is wide is that whoever replaces him volition person a large occupation connected their hands.

Come adjacent summer, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel and William Saliba volition each person 2 years near connected their contracts. Gabriel Martinelli volition too, though his woody is understood to incorporate the enactment to widen it by a further 12 months.

Arsenal and Edu worked hard to necktie down their halfway players successful caller years, but adjacent summertime volition beryllium a captious clip for the futures of Gabriel, Saka and Saliba.

When players person 2 years near connected their deals that is erstwhile clubs similar to get them to motion caller terms, alternatively of moving the hazard of them going into the last 12 months of their contracts.

Saliba has already been linked with Real Madrid, portion Gabriel has continually attracted involvement from clubs successful Saudi Arabia. Saka would, naturally, person his prime of clubs astir Europe if clubs ever thought helium was unfastened to leaving.

Arsenal look a large transportation model adjacent summer, adjacent earlier those contractual situations.

The request for astatine slightest 1 marquee guardant is clear, particularly aft they failed successful their pursuits of Benjamin Sesko and Nico Williams successful the astir caller window. Arsenal person lacked creativity astatine times this play and determination is simply a request for much firepower successful attack.

If their existent struggles continue, determination is an statement that the Gunners should accelerate those plans and adhd a guardant successful January.

It could beryllium a pivotal period and the accidental for Arsenal to inject their squad with immoderate caller humor arsenic they bid to combat for the Champions League and Premier League.

That is rather the in-tray for whoever replaces Edu, but Arsenal volition constituent to the information their exemplary is not based connected the exploits of 1 man.

Executive vice-chair Tim Lewis and managing manager Richard Garlick volition supply stableness and expertise. Jason Ayto, adjunct sporting director, and James Ellis, caput of recruitment, are besides cardinal cogs successful a instrumentality that has proved incredibly slick successful caller years. James King starts enactment this period arsenic Arsenal’s caller manager of shot operations.

Arsenal besides program successful beforehand for transportation windows, sometimes arsenic acold arsenic 2 windows ahead, and groundwork volition person already been done connected aboriginal deals.

Edu, however, would person been a cardinal portion of those plans and determination is nary escaping the information losing him present is simply a large blow.