Edu Gaspar is facing intense scrutiny at Nottingham Forest, with reports suggesting his role as Evangelos Marinakis’ head of global football is now ‘under threat’.
With Forest sitting 17th in the Premier League after 20 games, the blame has reportedly shifted towards Edu in what has become an almighty mess at the City Ground.
Edu Gaspar’s Forest tenure: What to know
- Joined from Arsenal in ‘major coup’
- Instantly fell out with popular boss Nuno
- Transfer business heavily criticised
- Fearing sack after only six months
Edu left Arsenal, where he was an Invincible title winner in 2003/04, after more than five years as the club’s technical and sporting director.
He was placed on gardening leave from November 2024 until last summer, when he took over as ‘head of global football’ for Marinakis’ three clubs: Forest, Rio Ave in Portugal, and Greek giants Olympiacos.
The 47-year-old failed to endear himself to Forest supporters almost immediately, falling out with popular head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who left the club just three games into the 2025/26 campaign, less than three months after signing a new contract to 2028.
A fortnight before Nuno’s departure, The Athletic described the situation as a ‘sensational fallout’ between the Portuguese coach and Edu.
It was claimed their relationship ‘started badly and deteriorated to the point that the damage was irreparable’, forcing Edu to stay away from the training ground as the dispute became a ‘deeply personal’ issue.
Edu and Marinakis then replaced Nuno with former Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, whose disastrous 39-day reign produced zero wins from eight matches before he was sacked and replaced by Sean Dyche.
When you combine Nuno’s sacking, the Postecoglou appointment, Forest’s current league position and an expensive but underwhelming summer transfer window, it is no surprise that Edu is now reportedly on the brink, with the focus shifting from the dugout to the boardroom.
Edu facing Forest sack after turbulent six months
According to The Telegraph, Edu’s job is now ‘under threat’ as Forest prepare to face relegation rivals West Ham United, managed by Nuno, on Tuesday night.
Forest have lost their last four Premier League matches, and the pressure has turned towards Edu rather than Dyche and his coaching staff.
It is no coincidence that Forest have been a shambles both on and off the pitch since Edu’s arrival, and it appears that Dyche’s results will now determine whether the Brazilian survives.
John Percy reports that Edu’s presence ‘is still proving a contentious issue behind the scenes’, even after Nuno’s exit, and that ‘his role is in question’ as a result.
Disagreements over transfer targets are believed to have been the root of the breakdown in his relationship with Nuno, and with the former head coach eventually getting his way, Edu’s summer business has come under intense scrutiny.
It is claimed Edu pushed Forest to sign Omari Hutchinson for £37.5m, Douglas Luiz on loan from Juventus, Oleksandr Zinchenko on loan from Arsenal, and Arnaud Kalimuendo for £26m.
Hutchinson made just two substitute appearances under Nuno, totalling 10 minutes, and last month admitted: “Nuno didn’t speak to me.”
Kalimuendo, meanwhile, is reportedly set to join Eintracht Frankfurt on loan this month.
While Hutchinson has improved in recent weeks, the vast majority of signings made in Edu’s first summer have disappointed.
Nottingham Forest spent €175M on attacking signings this summer who haven’t delivered so far 😳🔴
This was Edu’s first transfer window 👀 pic.twitter.com/Dr7AEDlOok
— LiveScore (@livescore) January 1, 2026
Edu’s Forest tenure: An avoidable mess
Percy adds that Marinakis viewed Edu’s appointment as a ‘major coup’ and handed him a lucrative £3m-a-year contract to oversee Forest, Rio Ave and Olympiacos.
Many Forest supporters were sceptical about the hire from the outset, and it has quickly turned into a disastrous appointment.
Edu negatively impacted the mood at the City Ground from day one, confused fans with his transfer dealings and failed to provide clarity or stability behind the scenes.
It is an avoidable mess of Forest’s own making, and one they appear to have recognised just six months after the former Arsenal director’s arrival.
