Arsenal sporting director Edu has opened preliminary talks with a crucial first-team player, with manager Mikel Arteta pushing the Gunners to agree on a new contract. The north London team have made locking down their star senior players a priority in recent years. Defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu became the latest Arsenal stars to agree to new contracts in March. Academy ace Ethan Nwaneri also committed his future in March. Captain Martin Odegaard even put pen to paper to stay at Emirates Stadium until June 2028 in September. While William Saliba signed fresh terms last July, Aaron R…