Arsenal’s Edu Gaspar Set to Join Nottingham Forest Group as Sporting Director

In an unexpected move, Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu Gaspar, is likely to depart the club after five years to join Nottingham Forest. Edu, who played an important role in Arsenal’s rebuilding efforts under Mikel Arteta, helped secure high-profile players such as Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. He is now heading to the Midlands to join Forest’s management team.

Edu will work closely with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and is anticipated to head recruitment across Marinakis’ group of teams, which includes Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos of Greece, and Rio Ave of Portugal. His responsibilities will include directing player recruiting and overall strategy for these teams, establishing him as an important figure in the group’s sports operations.

Edu’s ambitions

At 46, Edu reportedly aspired to become Arsenal’s CEO, but the move to Nottingham Forest provides him with a broader leadership role—and a possible path to a CEO post within the business. He is also said to be receiving a large income raise, which adds to the appeal of this new chance in his career.