Brentford director of football is a candidate to replace Edu at Arsenal | OneFootball

Brentford director of football Phil Giles is one of the candidates within the Premier League to replace departed Arsenal sporting director Edu, according to The Athletic.

His data-led recruitment at Brentford is held in high regard and he has been discussed at big clubs.

Giles brought the set-piece coach of Arsenal, Nicolas Jover, to the Premier League in July 2016, and he was with the Bees until June 2019 before joining Manchester City.

Manchester United first-team coach Andreas Georgson, Chelsea first-team coach Bernardo Cueva and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ set-piece coach Jack Wilson all came through Brentford first, and they have impressed at their respective clubs.

The Bees have impressed significantly since securing promotion to the Premier League in 2021, with Giles helping to turn them into a club to reckon with, and it appears he has caught the attention of Arsenal.

Edu’s deputy, Jason Ayto, has stepped up on an interim basis since the Brazilian left the club.

While he will be given a chance to stake his claim, sources have told The Athletic this position may come a little too soon for him.

He has spent just around a year and a half in his role as the club’s assistant sporting director, and they could opt for someone with more experience.

Former Arsenal midfielder Richard Hughes might have been a good choice had he not become Liverpool’s sporting director after leaving his position as technical director at Bournemouth.