Edu set to join Valencia
Former Arsenal midfielder Edu is to join Spanish club Valencia this summer on a five-year deal, according to the club.
Quique Sanchez Flores was today announced as the new Valencia coach and the club also revealed Brazilian Edu would be at the Mestalla next season.
The club’s new director of sport Javier Subirats made the announcements today, ending months of speculation surrounding the likely destination of the want-away Gunner.
In a statement on the club’s official website, Valencia said: “President (Juan Bautista) Soler has confirmed the signing of Edu, the Arsenal player and Brazil international, who will join the team on the first of July and who will play for the team in the next five seasons.”
The 40-year-old Sanchez Flores was a Valencia player for 10 years before joining Real Madrid in 1995.
Sanchez Flores began his coaching career with Real Madrid in 2003, working with their junior sides before joining newly-promoted Getafe last summer.
At Getafe he enjoyed an excellent first season, guiding the club that many expected to go straight back to the second division to a comfortable 13th-placed finish in the Primera Liga.
After winning the league and the UEFA Cup last season, Valencia have endured a frustrating campaign this time around and finished a disappointing seventh, a situation that sees them sneak into Europe only through the Intertoto Cup.
Former Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri began the campaign as head coach under huge pressure following the La Liga and UEFA Cup double achieved by his predecessor Rafael Benitez, who has gone on to lift the Champions League with Liverpool.
But despite a good start, Ranieri was unable to provide the success the fans of Los Che craved and was sacked in February.
He was replaced by Antonio Lopez, who announced after Sunday’s win over Osasuna he would not be continuing as coach.
