[Jern Lizardhous]

Edu admits he is surprised Arsene Wenger has issued an ultimatum over his contract talks at Arsenal.

The Brazilian, who seems set to miss the live Sky Sports showdown with Premiership leaders Chelsea on Sunday, has been warned that he will not be considered for selection next year if he fails to commit his future to Highbury.

It has come as something of a shock to Edu even though the midfielder continues to make encouraging noises regarding a possible Bosman move to Barcelona.

"I do not know why he [Wenger] said that," Edu told As.

"I continue belonging to Arsenal and I want to play if I am fit.

"Although the truth is that the negotiations to extend the contract are stopped, mainly due to my indecision."

The former Corinthians star is almost back to fitness but the top-of-the-table encounter with Chelsea may come just too soon for him.

"I was with Brazil in the Copa America and did not do pre-season with the rest of the squad," he stated.

"When I began to play regularly, I injured myself. But I will be able to return in less than one week so I am optimistic."

Edu wants to win trophies and play regularly and admits linking up with compatriot Ronaldinho at Camp Nou is an attractive option.

"I am very happy with the interest from as great a club as Barcelona," he stated. "With a coach like Frank Rijkaard, who was a great player and who likes good football.

"If I leave, I want to sign for a club that gives me the opportunity to win titles and participates in the great competitions. But also where I can play regularly.

"This, for me, is essential and cannot be waived.

"Barca are playing very well and can win everything this year. I know Ronaldinho well and he is, without a doubt, the best player at the moment, a special footballer who appears not very often in life.

"Yes, the truth is that it would be magnificent to be alongside him in the team."


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I can't believe he wonders why Wenger has given him an ultimatum the way he has been talking to the press.

I think we shouldn't play him again this season, we don't want a half-hearted player in the team upsetting the spirit. :lazy:

let him go and join Ronadldinho in Barcelona, he obviously thinks he has outgrown us now he is a Brazilian International. :rollani:

 

[Grinch]

The Brazilian, who seems set to miss the live Sky Sports showdown with Premiership leaders Chelsea on Sunday, has been warned that he will not be considered for selection next year if he fails to commit his future to Highbury.

Let's call a spade a spade – Edu's basically being threatened by the club. He was "warned" that if he doesn't sign the new contract he'll be stuck to the bench no matter what his form is. Then leaving the club is clearly the best for Edu, this is no way to treat a professional. The club can't force a player to renew his contract through threats. :thmbdown:

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

Let's call a spade a spade – Edu's basically being threatened by the club. He was "warned" that if he doesn't sign the new contract he'll be stuck to the bench no matter what his form is. Then leaving the club is clearly the best for Edu, this is no way to treat a professional. The club can't force a player to renew his contract through threats. :thmbdown:

he'd already decided to leave months ago, it is quite obvious he hasn't applied himself one bit to the Arsenal in the last six months, all he thinks of now is Barcelona and Brazil.

this is every way to treat his "professionalism" as you call it, hopefully it will mean Barcelona offer a small fee in January so we can get him out and bring in a player that has his heart in the Arsenal, we showed amazing patience in getting Edu here and then sticking by him for two seasons when he was injured or playing terribly.

 

[Kampfschwein]

Another money-grabbing, ego-tripping jackass.
Loyalty means nothing to the guy. He's been implying to a bosman-transfer since the start of the season. I think it's not more than normal that the club wants to prevent that. He's the guy who started this mess, dont make him the victim.

If you invest a large amount of money in a player and give him a chance to show himself to Europe, the least he can do is repay the club.

 

[Grinch]

he'd already decided to leave months ago, it is quite obvious he hasn't applied himself one bit to the Arsenal in the last six months, all he thinks of now is Barcelona and Brazil.

So according to you, Edu has been playing poorly for months, without applying himself...? Then WHY does Arsenal want to renew the contract at all?

That doesn't make a lot of sense, Jern. :undecide:

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

So according to you, Edu has been playing poorly for months, without applying himself...? Then WHY does Arsenal want to renew the contract at all?

That doesn't make a lot of sense, Jern. :undecide:

if he signs the contract then he will have commited, tbh i think the chance has gone now and Wenger is fed up with it, but Wenger shows a lot of patience to players that i certainly wouldn't and couldn't understand.

no player has ever been given an ultimatum until Edu, i think that says enough, not even Wiltord was given that.

 

[Styg]

i seriously hope he doesn't join Barça. Where does he expect to play? He's got competition from Iniesta, Deco & Xavi. He'll never get in the starting 11.

 

[Fargo]

So how much do you think we would have to offer you, realistically speaking, for Edu? €1m?

 

[Fargo]

i seriously hope he doesn't join Barça. Where does he expect to play? He's got competition from Iniesta, Deco & Xavi. He'll never get in the starting 11.

He would have to realize that it's going to get tough. I agree. But he would be a good squad player for us, and he seems really keen to join our club and team up with our other brazilians.

 

[nEEbz]

freak !

he is acting like a freak. He just wants to go. He know he can't compete with Gilberto, Viera and Fabregas now and he is just finding the easy door out. Especially since he got included for Brazil, he has been struggling in Arsenal shirt. Its very simple now.

And I guess when you see that the overall spirit of the team is adversely affected by such stories then a threat/utlimatum is inevitable. You cannot let the whole dressing room suffer coz one stubborn bloke can't decide whether to stay or not.

and admit it , he ain't some super star.

nEEbz

I don't think he'll be playing in the starting 11 of Barca. With his current performances, he don't even deserve a chance in Brazil frankly. He takes quite a lot of time to come back to his best especially when he comes from an injury.

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

So how much do you think we would have to offer you, realistically speaking, for Edu? €1m?

yeah that would do it i reckon, either that or it's nothing next summer.

I don't see how Edu will make it great at Barcelona, the only two guys he could cover for are Xavi and Deco and they are much more suited to the 4-3-3 than Edu as they cover more ground.

 

[Onree]

Let's call a spade a spade – Edu's basically being threatened by the club. He was "warned" that if he doesn't sign the new contract he'll be stuck to the bench no matter what his form is. Then leaving the club is clearly the best for Edu, this is no way to treat a professional. The club can't force a player to renew his contract through threats. :thmbdown:

His form hardly warrants him being selected over the others in the first place. When he's played he's been crap, and his petulance to sign for the club is fully deserved after the way we helped him get a passport to play in England.

He can go if he wants, we'll find someone more consistant.

 

[Petros]

sell him, get macherano

 

[Zhuge Liang]

So according to you, Edu has been playing poorly for months, without applying himself...? Then WHY does Arsenal want to renew the contract at all?

That doesn't make a lot of sense, Jern.

Wrong. The fact is, Arsenal had given him chances and chances to be more active in our campaign. If you look to his statistics, it's obvious that his role is increasing and we entrusted more responsibility to him every seasons. Him being poor recently has nothing to do with our decision to bench him.

We never forced anyone to stay if they have better thing in mind and we are never afraid to lose any player on Bosman rule. The reason why Wenger issued his ultimatum I can see is because we are in crisis of central midfield department. If Edu wants to leave, then we should find someone else to replace him. It's that simple. We all know for sure that any player even genius one would take time to understand and adapt to team playing style. And in this case if Edu still refused to sign the contract extension, Well, at least that's what I'll do. Edu is important member to the club and if we still depend on him until the end of the season, we could get trouble in the next season. And also who wants a player whose mind isn't 100% commited to the club play and start for the team.

Anyway, the thought of benching him never appeared to Wenger's mind. He still played him this season as substitute or as starter, even there're rumors regarding him moving Barça. But he should understand himself that he is no longer regular starter since there is someone who does better than him, who is none other than 17 years old Cesc Fabregas.

Besides what kind of player is he judging a better club for himself from the club capability of winning something ? Arsenal is not a team that struggle in UEFA Cup zone and we actually won 'something' as far as I can remember. If he thinks that Barça has big chance to win CL this season, why doesn't he ask Wenger to transfer him at winter transfer window now so all parties don’t have to wait that long ? Wenger can find new midfielder, Barça can solve their midfield problem and Edu can feel happy being part of the club that he thinks can give him CL title. Believe me, we won’t gain anything from releasing him before his contract ends, because we don’t get in our player’s way if they want to go. All times and hardworks we spent to develop him into a player he is now costed us more than that.

We want to extend his contract because we realize that he is really important. However, if he thinks otherwise, he must face that his status is no longer important to the team and must prepared to be benched. That’s a reality of being football player. Club always comes first.

 

[Petros]

there is an advantage in realesing him now. firslty we wont have a player who dosent want to play for us on our books and we will save from paying his wages and instead give them to MACHERANO!!!

 

[Anti I]

I don't see how Edu will make it great at Barcelona, the only two guys he could cover for are Xavi and Deco and they are much more suited to the 4-3-3 than Edu as they cover more ground.

I have seen only a sprinkling of Barca matches but it did not look like a 4-3-3 on the days I saw them.

Anyway, if I were Edu I would not want to be on an Arsenal team as an option behind Fabregas. To me Edu has done enough in the past to supplant Fabregas when fit.

 

[Jern Lizardhous]

I have seen only a sprinkling of Barca matches but it did not look like a 4-3-3 on the days I saw them.

Anyway, if I were Edu I would not want to be on an Arsenal team as an option behind Fabregas. To me Edu has done enough in the past to supplant Fabregas when fit.

well it's a fluid 4-3-3 but Xavi and Deco are the two players that Edu would be trying to oust, he is certainly no sitting DM.

Edu isn't behind Fabregas, he started in front of him at OT, if he knuckled down he would be above Fabregas as Fabregas is too young to play all the games.

on form there is no comparison this season, Fabregas is just playing much, much better.

 

[Styg]

I have seen only a sprinkling of Barca matches but it did not look like a 4-3-3 on the days I saw them.

Anyway, if I were Edu I would not want to be on an Arsenal team as an option behind Fabregas. To me Edu has done enough in the past to supplant Fabregas when fit.

The usual Barça line-up is something like this:
GK - Valdes
DL - Gio
DR - Belletti
DC - Puyol
DC - Oleguer
DMC-Marquez
MC - Xavi
MC - Deco
FR - Giuly
FL - Ronaldinho
SC - Eto'o

looks like a 4-3-3 to me

 

[Twayka]

edu is better than marquez , but if he goes and we get either maniche or mascherano, then thats good news.

 

[Twayka]

edu is always b4 cesc, its just that he wasnt fit, or hes always injured.