Nicolas Pepe flop, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel bargain - Edu's 35 signings at Arsenal rated

Edu Gaspar is set to leave Arsenal after .

The Brazilian has been at the Emirates Stadium since 2019, but is now set to depart in order to join Evangelos Marinakis' multi-club system. The Greek billionaire is the owner of Nottingham Forest as well as Olympiacos and Rio Ave in Portugal.

Since 2019, Edu has done a huge job in overhauling the Arsenal squad, getting rid of huge players like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Brazilian has also been associated with the incomings of a number of high profile players, such as Kai Havertz and Declan Rice.

Opinions vary on just how good a job Edu has done in north London. With that in mind football.london takes a look back at all his deals to rate them as a hit or miss.

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Gabriel Martinelli: Edu had not technically joined Arsenal when Gabriel Martinelli arrived in north London. The former Invincible had his finger prints over the deal though, and for just £7million it has turned out be an absolute steal.

Verdict: HIT

Nicolas Pepe: This was the marquee signing of Edu's first window at the club. Sadly it didn't work out. Pepe is largely judged in relation to his £72million fee, but that is more closely associated with Raul Sanllehi than Edu. Still though it goes down as a failure as the Ivorian left by mutual consent before his initial contract ran out.

Verdict: MISS

William Saliba: This one was not technically an Edu signing. The deal was more closely associated with Francis Cagigao's late work at the club. Still Saliba has gone on to become a roaring success at Arsenal and is arguably one of the best defenders in the world.

Verdict: HIT

Kieran Tierney: Initially Kieran Tierney was a definite hit. The Scottish international became crucial in Mikel Arteta's early reign. Unfortunately a combination of injuries and tactical evolution have caused Tierney's Arsenal career to stall massively. He's still an Arsenal player, but is very unlikely to play for the club any time soon. Still we'd prefer to remember the good times.

Verdict: HIT

David Luiz: David Luiz's time at Arsenal was a bit of mixed bag. The first of Edu's agent-led signings the Brazilian had tough spells after joining from Chelsea and was sent off three times in two seasons. He provided superb leadership to youthful Arsenal side though at a time when they really needed it. Overall though, it was not too much of a surprise to see him leave after just two years.

Verdict: MISS

Dani Ceballos: Technically Edu signed Ceballos twice. The first time was probably just about a success. The Spaniard was wildly inconsistent after a superb debut against Burnley, but did play a part in the FA Cup winning midfield. His second season on loan was hugely disappointing though and it was little shock that Arsenal did not attempt to make the move permanent.

Verdict: MISS

Pablo Mari: The first signing after Mikel Arteta's appointment, Mari was a deal brought about largely through Edu's agent contacts. The Spaniard suffered two major injuries in his first season after signing and never consistently established himself at Arsenal unfortunately.

Verdict: MISS

Cedric: Cedric was another deal brought about by Edu's contacts with superagents. The deal didn't start well. The Portuguese full back arrived with an injury and had to wait till July for his debut due to COVID. He was just about able to dethrone Hector Bellerin from the starting XI, but after the arrival of Takehiro Tomiyasu and the shifting of Ben White over to right back, Cedric failed to ever get back in the side on a regular basis. Despite being surplus to requirements for a couple of seasons, the Portuguese international only left in the summer just gone. He has yet to find a new club.

Verdict: MISS

Thomas Partey: The most exciting signing of Edu's early reign, Partey was a real coup. The Ghanaian was convinced to join an Arsenal side that were outside of the Champions League in the prime of his career and Edu deserves praise for that. Injuries may have impacted Partey's time in north London, but he is still a key player at the Emirates to this day.

Verdict: HIT

Gabriel: Another of the early signings, Gabriel was convinced to join by Edu despite interest from Everton. The Brazilian has turned out to be a superb buy and is arguably the best centre back in the Premier League right now.

Verdict: HIT

Runar Alex Runarsson: Signed to plug a gap after Emi Martinez's departure, Runarsson was a recommendation from Inaki Cana. Edu ultimately to pull the trigger on the Iceland international who proved to be woefully inadequate for Arsenal's level.

Verdict: MISS

Willian: Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Arsenal opted to offer the then 32-year-old Willian three year deal on significant wages. The move proved to be an absolute disaster and Edu's reputation among fans would take a long time to recover.

Verdict: MISS

Mat Ryan: Brought in as a sticking plaster after Runarsson's disastrous first half season, Ryan provided far better back up for Bernd Leno. The Australian was an Arsenal fan and got a rare assist for an Eddie Nketiah goal against Fulham. His time at Arsenal was short-lived but he proved to be a popular member of staff.

Verdict: HIT

Martin Odegaard: Initially brought in on loan, Martin Odegaard didn't quite set the world alight in his first half season at Arsenal. The signs were there though, and the Norwegian was brought in on a permanent for just £30million. He has gone on to be one of the greatest signings in Arsenal's history and is a world class talent. Arguably the best deal of Edu's tenure.

Verdict: HIT

Ben White: Ben White's debut didn't exactly go to plan. Everything else since has though. Whether at centre back in his early days or right back more recently, White has become an integral player at Arsenal. A great piece of business.

Verdict: HIT

Albert Sambi Lokonga: There were some positive early signs when Lokonga signed, but the Belgian never proved to be an adequate back up to Thomas Partey.

Verdict: MISS

Nuno Tavares: Viewed as a low risk signing because of his low fee Nuno Tavares never really worked out at Arsenal. Mikel Arteta didn't ever seem to fully trust him as back up to Kieran Tierney and although he is still technically a Gunners player he has no future at the club.

Verdict: MISS

Aaron Ramsdale: It may not have ended well, but Ramsdale was a great goalkeeper for two years at Arsenal. He was an unpopular arrival, but turned out to be a great spot from the Gunners and their recruitment staff.

Verdict: HIT

Takehiro Tomiyasu: Tomiyasu instantly raised the level of the Arsenal defence after coming in at right back. It's a sign of how quickly things have improved at the Emirates that his absence due to injury isn't too sorely felt. The Japan defender is a good player, but his availability issues will stop him from becoming an Arsenal great.

Verdict: HIT

Auston Trusty: Trusty never played a competitive fixture for Arsenal. A bizarre deal, but one that they were ultimately able to make a profit on.

Verdict: MISS

Gabriel Jesus: The Brazilian shifted Arsenal's mentality from top four dreamers to title challengers. At £45million he's proved to be a great investment. He may not be a regular right now, but Jesus has still been a great buy.

Verdict: HIT

Fabio Vieira: Although this deal is understood to have been pushed for by Arteta, Fabio Vieira was helped along by Edu's agent contacts. It's safe to say it hasn't worked out. The Portuguese midfielder never established himself in the team and is now back on loan at Porto.

Verdict: MISS

Oleksandr Zinchenko: Zinchenko revolutionised what Arsenal thought a left back could be when he initially arrived. The Ukrainian was a great signing, and although he's struggling to get in the team right now, his impact on the squad's mentality has been undoubtedly huge.

Verdict: HIT

Matt Turner: This one always felt like a strange signing. Matt Turner was brought in to be Aaron Ramsdale's back up, but the American never seemed able to play out with his feet. Seeing him move on after one season was little surprise. Verdict: MISS

Marquinhos: It looked as though Edu had struck gold initially when Marquinhos came in. The young winger was signed to help Arsenal establish connections in the Brazilian market. Ultimately it didn't work out though and he is now back in Brazil after failing to make much of an impact.

Verdict: MISS

Leandro Trossard: The hype all of January 2023 had been around Mykhailo Mudryk. Arsenal ultimately ended up signing Leandro Trossard as a back up, and history has proved they got the better end of the bargain. Trossard's success is a testament to Edu's superb planning in the transfer market.

Verdict: HIT

Jakub Kiwior: Kiwior was brought in to be a back up to Gabriel at left centre back. He has hardly played there though. Instead he has done a pretty good job at left back and right centre back when called upon. A good bit of business overall despite some people's reservations.

Verdict: HIT

Jorginho: Like Trossard, Jorginho was a late pivot after a deal for Moises Caicedo failed to materialise. The Italian has proved to be a great piece of business, starring in some huge games for Arsenal and softening Thomas Partey's injury issues.

Verdict: HIT

Declan Rice: Possibly the best signing of Edu's reign. A real statement about where the project at the Emirates is heading. Yes Rice cost a lot, but securing him ahead of competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich was proof of the tremendous work Arsenal did getting him in. Superb.

Verdict: HIT

Kai Havertz: He took a while to get going after being signed as a midfielder, but since being moved up front Kai Havertz has turned out to be an absolute success. The German is one of the first names on Arteta's team sheet and has proved to be a great acquisition.

Verdict: HIT

Jurrien Timber: Due to a cruel injury suffered in his first competitive game, we've not seen nearly as much of Timber as we should have. When the Dutch defender has been available though, he's been world class. A real asset to the Arsenal backline.

Verdict: HIT

David Raya: It was certainly controversial when Raya arrived for big money last summer. The Spaniard has vindicated the controversial decision to replace Aaron Ramsdale though and this season in particular he has been superb.

Verdict: HIT

Riccardo Calafiori: It's obviously very early in Riccardo Calafiori's Arsenal career, but he has looked great in early appearances. The Italian seems to be first choice to keep Zinchenko out of the side at left back when he's available.

Verdict: HIT

Mikel Merino: Mikel Merino has not even played five games for Arsenal so it's too early to judge the Spaniard.

Verdict: TOO EARLY TO SAY

Raheem Sterling: Like Merino, Sterling has hardly played for Arsenal since arriving on deadline day. The England winger has yet to break into the starting XI yet though.

Verdict: TOO EARLY TO SAY