Arsenal target Sporting Director Who Discovered Kylian Mbappe to Replace Edu After Shock Nottingham Forest Move

Arsenal are reportedly interested in bringing Luis Campos on board as their new sporting director after the surprising exit of Edu Gaspar.

Edu, a former Arsenal player and key figure in the club’s revival under manager Mikel Arteta, recently left his role to join Nottingham Forest as chief executive for Evangelos Marinakis’ football operations. His departure has left a gap in Arsenal’s management team, particularly in the area of transfers.

Edu played a big role in reshaping Arsenal’s squad, helping turn them into Premier League title contenders. With Arsenal currently nine points behind league leaders Liverpool, the January transfer window could be crucial in boosting their title ambitions.

Reports suggest the Gunners are considering several candidates for the role, including Bayer Leverkusen’s Simon Rolfes and former Real Sociedad sporting director Roberto Olabe. However, top of their list is Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Campos.

Who is Luis Campos?

Luis Campos is widely regarded as one of the best football scouts and sporting directors in the game. He is currently PSG’s “Football Advisor” and has been responsible for overseeing the club’s massive £640 million spending spree over the last five transfer windows. During his time at PSG, he has signed high-profile players such as Vitinha, Ousmane Dembélé, and Randal Kolo Muani.

Before joining PSG, Campos built an impressive reputation at other clubs:

Monaco (2013-2016): Campos signed stars like Bernardo Silva, Radamel Falcao, and James Rodriguez. He also played a part in recruiting a young Kylian Mbappé for Monaco’s academy in 2013. Monaco went on to win the Ligue 1 title in 2017 with a team largely built by Campos.

Lille: Campos helped discover talents such as Victor Osimhen, who went on to become one of Europe’s top strikers.

Arsenal are reportedly considering Campos as a long-term solution to their sporting director vacancy. His current contract with PSG runs until 2025, and there have been no talks about extending his stay in Paris.

If Arsenal decide Campos is the right fit, they could either approach him now or wait until the end of the season. For now, the club’s transfer operations are being handled by Jason Ayto, Edu’s former assistant, and James Ellis, the head of recruitment.

Arsenal’s need for a new sporting director comes at a critical time. With January transfers on the horizon and the club striving to close the gap on Liverpool, bringing in a proven talent spotter like Campos could be a game-changer.