Former Arsenal fan favourite emerges as frontrunner to replace Edu as sporting director

Tomas Rosicky has established himself as the frontrunner to take over the reins as Arsenal’s sporting director.

Arsenal confirmed that Edu had vacated the position with immediate effect in November and it subsequently emerged that the 46-year-old had agreed to take on a role with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Edu – a two-time Premier League winner and ‘Invincible’ with Arsenal during his playing days – initially rejoined the Gunners as the club’s technical director in 2019, before switching to sporting director in late 2022.

Jason Ayto, who had served as Edu’s deputy, has assumed the Brazilian’s responsibilities on an interim basis, but Arsenal bosses have been working behind the scenes to secure a permanent replacement.

Monaco chief Thiago Scuro, West Ham director Tim Steidten and Paris Saint-Germain advisor Luis Campos have all been tentatively linked in recent weeks. Per Mertesacker, currently the head of Arsenal’s academy, is another name believed to be in the running.

But according to The Guardian, former Arsenal fan favourite Rosicky, 44, ‘leads the contenders’ to succeed Edu, having previously enjoyed a decade-long stay in north London from 2006 to 2016.

Rosicky was appointed as Sparta Prague’s sporting director seven years ago and the Czech has been turning heads in the role, overseeing back-to-back league titles over the last two years.

It’s claimed there has been ‘regular contact’ with Rosicky but the ex-Czech Republic international is reluctant to move midway through the season and Arsenal may have to wait until the summer to secure his services.

The 44-year-old, who is seen as a more ‘suitable’ option to the inexperienced Ayto, maintains a good relationship with both Mikel Arteta and Mertesacker, his former team-mates at the Emirates.

The report adds Arsenal are ideally looking to appoint a sporting director who already has an association with the club.

Returning to England for Sparta Prague’s Champions League clash with Manchester City in October, Rosicky sang Arteta’s praises and backed the Gunners to put up a ‘good challenge’ for the Premier League title.

Asked if he always knew Arteta had the tools to become a top manager, Rosicky told TNT Sports: ‘Yeah, he had it in him for a long time. You could see that.

‘When we played together he was already preparing for his next steps when he retired, he was doing his badges as a player.

‘You could see the leadership qualities that he had before and you can see now on the bench.

‘I wish him well and I hope they can make it [win the title]. Last season, they showed, and Mikel himself showed, that they have what it takes to win it.

‘But, of course, they have to show it, they have to prove it and I believe they will put up another good challenge. Fingers crossed.’

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