Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is well aware of what Edu thinks of him

Pressure is building on Mikel Arteta and Arsenal, but Edu remains a staunch supporter of the boss, even as rumours swirl about the director's potential exit from the Emirates Stadium.

Edu returned to his old stomping ground in July 2019 but is reportedly on his way out again. It's suggested the shrewd shot-caller could be set to join up with Evangelos Marinakis, whose network of clubs includes Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest.

The Gunners' recent form has seen them drop to fifth in the table after suffering a 1-0 loss to Newcastle on Saturday, their third consecutive Premier League match without a victory. And it was during a similarly challenging period that Edu demonstrated his unwavering support for Arteta following Arsenal's awful start to the 2021/22 season.

"It's a very uncomfortable situation to be in," he told the club's website in September 2021, when Arsenal were wallowing in the wake of three consecutive defeats. "I understand the reaction of the fans and the media, I respect that. We are where we never [want] to be. But we have to work to leave this situation."

Managerial tenures are notoriously short-lived in the modern game. And although that's especially the case in the cutthroat environment of the Premier League, Edu's commitment to Arteta stood firm.

"So these kind of moments are important as well because you see who is who," he added. "Who wants to fight? Who wants to step forward and say now we want to change it. We have the team to change it, we have the fans to change it, we have the right coach to change it, we have the right players to change it."

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The current scenario for Arsenal is considerably better than when Edu made those remarks. The Gunners were languishing at the bottom of the Premier League then, but now they're just seven points behind leaders Liverpool.

That improvement in prospects can be attributed to the efforts of Arteta - who was appointed Arsenal boss about six months after Edu's arrival - and his director, who have kept Arsenal in the title race over the past few seasons. However, back-to-back losses in consecutive away league games have slightly marred their chances.

But this hasn't shaken Edu's confidence in the manager, having navigated through tough periods before and come out all the stronger. Meanwhile, Arteta aims to get his side back to winning ways when they travel to face Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday.

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