Edu, Arsenal's sporting director, has announced he will be leaving his position at the club.
The news, according to Sky Sports and other sources, has come as a surprise to the Gunners, who finally found their post-Arsene Wenger feet during the tenure of the Brazilian, who played under Wenger in the 2000s.
While details will likely continue to emerge over time, here's what we know so far.
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Why has Edu quit as Arsenal sporting director?
Arsenal confirmed Edu's departure on November 4 in a statement released on their official channels.
The 46-year-old confirmed it was "an incredibly hard decision to make" but did not go into specific details as to his reasoning.
"Arsenal has given me the opportunity to work with so many amazing people and the chance to be a part of something so special in the club’s history," Edu said. "It has been a special journey and I thank Stan [Kroenke], Josh [Kroenke], Tim [Lewis] and Lord Harris for the support they’ve given me."
"I’ve loved working with so many great colleagues across our men’s, women’s and academy teams, especially Mikel [Arteta], who has become a great friend.
Now it is time to pursue a different challenge. Arsenal will always remain in my heart. I wish the club and its supporters only good things and all the very best.
Exactly why the 46-year-old has made this decision remains unknown. However, there are several possibilities worth considering.
First, Edu has been away in his native country on personal matters recently, which may or may not be a factor in his decision now.
He has also been linked with a job at the Evangelos Marinakis network of clubs, which includes Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave and is likely to grow in the future.
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Why is Edu's departure a shock?
His work in tandem with first-team manager Mikel Arteta, another former Wenger player at the club, has yielded clear growth for Arsenal.
And yet, at the same time, with a first league title since the 'Invincibles' campaign the Brazilian participated in remaining under their noses, there are clearly still goals to accomplish.
Furthermore, when Arteta signed a new contract in September until 2027, Edu outlined his commitment to the project.
That this would change in less than two months raises eyebrows, but for now exactly why remains to be seen.
Edu's legacy at Arsenal
In his role as technical director (as well as his promotion to the club's first-ever sporting director in 2022), Edu has helped recruit such players as Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal have spent £867million ($1.124 billion) during Edu's tenure as an executive, with only two clubs (Chelsea and Manchester United) spending more in the same timeframe.
And during that time, the club have clinched another FA Cup for their all-time best haul (14), whilst finally returning to the title picture with two second-placed finishes to the dominant juggernaut that is Manchester City.
