[Driver X]

Edu was refused entry into England on Tuesday night after immigration officials caught him with a forged passport, a case remarkably similar to that of Derby's Esteban Fuertes.

Edu was scheduled to fly in to London to begin pre-season training and met up with new team-mate Silvinho to travel together but problems arose when attempting to get through passport control at Heathrow.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We can confirm a Brazilian national was refused entry to the UK when he was found to be in possession of a counterfeit passport."

Edu, will not face criminal charges but was instantly deported and will face an uphill battle to resume his Premiership career - which currently stands at nine days.

Edu said: "I really don't know what happened. I was told I did not need a visa.

"I'm going back to Brazil to sort out the problem and hope to return in about a week."

Having flown in yesterday afternoon and having his documents revealed to be false, Edu was detained whilst Silvinho rushed to tell Arsenal officials. Lawyers from the North London club attempted to stop the extradition but failed.

Edu was believed to have a Portuguese passport when he signed a four-year deal last week but without European Union nationality it is much more difficult to receive a work permit - players having to play in 75% of their recent club and country matches, and the defender is yet to play for Brazil.

The case is vastly similar to that of Derby's Fuertes, who arrived in Luton and was again found to have forged documents. He was deported and has not returned to England since, despite claiming that he had Italian grandparents.

 

[Loose Moose]

straight from soccernet
this sux though

 

[blitheid]

Hmmmm, bugger, just slightly embarressing for the club. Not a great day for us in general, with boothroyd releasing his bitterness through vitriol.

Although the story is at the very least partially true, he was certainly turned away at customs, its difficult to exactly gauge how true. Given that the points of elaboration, forged passport etc.., came from the toilet paper substitute, the sun. Considering their history of trying to undermine and give a negative portrayal of arsenal , indeed, as well as any other club that ain't manure. (I believe murdoch spanks all the reporters with his monkey, if they say anything nice, and while this way be fun the first time, it soon gets boring.) I would be relectant to take anything they say, as being even vaguely accurate.

So, as far as i'm concerned his dismissal at the airport is still an open question. I think any of the following are possible: A genuine mistake, Because he didn't have a visa? Because he was trying to do a fuertes, Because his luggage was vibrating, Because someone forgot to turn the calender over...so customs thought it was April 1st, Because of The Manure Conspiracy.

NO doubt things will gain clarity during the next few hours/days/weeks.

 

[blitheid]

miracles, of miracles (from sports.com)

------------------------------------------------------

Arsenal are facing a double Brazilian headache after
young striker Edu was refused entry to Britain earlier
this week.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was also in the hunt for
fellow Brazilian Edmilson, but the Highbury chief is
now having second thoughts over a £4.6million swoop
for the player.

Click here for Andrew Warshaw's view

Edu, who has signed for
the Gunners from
Corinthians, was forced
to return to South
America just hours after
landing at London's
Heathrow airport on
Tuesday. Immigration
officials turned back the
22-year-old £6million star
because he had a false
passport, although he will
not face any criminal
charges.

"I really don't know what happened. I was told I did not
need a visa," said Edu, who has signed a four-year
deal with the Gunners.

"I am going back to Brazil to sort out the problem and
hope to return in about a week."

Arsenal officials remain upbeat and an official club
statement said: "The club and the player have acted in
good faith.

"Unknown to both parties, there was a problem with
Edu's passport and consequently, he has returned to
Brazil where the situation can be resolved.

"We hope to have a clearer indication in the next few
days of when he can come back to Britain and join up
with the club."

But the Gunners, who have already made a
substantial downpayment on the player, have been
warned that Edu will not be able to return to
Corinthians if he cannot re-enter to Britain.

Arsenal included a
get-out clause in the
deal, in case the player
failed to get international
clearance, and they now
look like facing a lengthy
battle in a bid to either
get their man or get their
cash back.

Corinthians have warned
they will not take their
player back and Edu is in
limbo while Arsenal fight
a custody battle with the authorities.

Corinthians chief executive Jefferson Yassuda said: "Edu has been bought by
Arsenal and no longer has anything to do with us.

"Any problems now have to be resolved with Arsenal. It is not simply a case
of us handing the money back. We would have to re-negotiate to buy him
back.

"We could take him on loan but it would be easier for him to resolve his
problems in England rather than come back to us."

When Edu signed for Arsenal just nine days ago the Gunners claimed that he
held a Portuguese passport and would not need a work permit.

But without EU nationality it is harder to gain clearance to play in Britain.

Players have to be established internationals, featuring in the majority of
games for club and country.

But Edu has yet to play for Brazil and his failure to gain entry into Britain has
given Wenger another dilemma with the possible swoop for Edmilson.

Edmilson is not a full international and there are new fears that he too will
suffer difficulties when trying to enter Britain.

Wenger has been tracking the Brazilian ace for some time,but Sao Paulo
football director Jose Dias said the deal was almost dead.

"We are checking his documents to see if they allow him to travel to
England," Dias explained. "But the risk of the transfer being cancelled is
extreme.

"In some ways we hope he has no European links. That means he would stay
with us."


------------------------------------------------------

Dodgy south americans, forged passports, millions in cash......the plot the next James Bond Movie, maybe, but certainly the script that the players of highbury are currently acting out.

Bugger, it's looked like someone at the Arsenal has well and truelly phucked up, u would they would check the passport wouldn't you, they are dealing with the boys from brazil after all, but this is 'the idiot noughties', where you are compelled to commit the most moronic acts. Would we want to buck the trend that has been set by keegan, tony blair, etc. , in someways it's gratifying to know that our club is still well and truelly British.

 

[Loose Moose]

why cant britain be like other eu countries like italy where they dont need work permits
yar yar
its because british dont want too many foreigners.....

 

[Loose Moose]

now edmilson's transfer look like failing
sao paolo has just said that they dont want to sell him now

 

[Driver X]

That's really crap