G
Guest
·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.
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.