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Moataz Elgammal

Former Arsenal sporting director Edu secures surprise role following disappointing Nottingham Forest exit

Arsenal
Nottingham Forest
Levski Sofia
Premier League

Former Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar has secured an unexpected return to football by joining the board of directors at Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia. Edu takes on this new challenge shortly after his contract was terminated by Nottingham Forest, where he endured a highly difficult stint overseeing their global football operations across a vast multi-club network.

  • Surprise move to Bulgaria

    Edu has officially joined Levski Sofia as part of a newly appointed five-person board of directors. The move comes as a major surprise following his recent departure from Nottingham Forest earlier this month, as reported by the Daily Mail.

    The club have completely restructured their hierarchy, bringing Edu on board alongside Claudio Pracownik, Felipe Berliner, Matthew Cherry, and current executive director Daniel Borimirov. Although his exact role remains unspecified, the board will elect a chair and an executive director at an upcoming meeting to finalise responsibilities.

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  • Official club statement

    Levski Sofia have expressed great enthusiasm regarding the arrival of Edu, releasing a public statement to outline the value he will add behind the scenes.

    A club statement read: "His experience in sports strategy, selection, talent development and organisational building will be an important asset for the club on its path to a sustainable and competitive football structure."

    Edu brings significant pedigree to the table, having previously helped reshape Arsenal during a successful tenure as technical and sporting director before resigning in November 2024.


  • Struggles at Forest

    This new chapter offers Edu a fresh start following a disastrous spell at the City Ground. He joined Forest in July 2025 as global head of football, overseeing operations across Evangelos Marinakis's empire, which includes Olympiacos and Rio Ave.

    However, the club struggled with poor recruitment under his watch. Edu fell out with Nuno Espirito Santo, who was one of four managers to take charge at the City Ground last season. Reports confirmed his exit this month after Edu attended his last game in February, having reportedly been told to stay away from the training ground and stadium.

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    What is next for Edu?

    Edu will now focus on maintaining domestic dominance with Levski Sofia, who currently sit five points clear at the top of the league after nine matches. They have also dropped into the Europa League after losing their Champions League play-off against AEK Athens. Edu must now help his new club secure back-to-back titles and navigate their upcoming European fixtures.