Edu heading back to Brazil? Under-fire Nottingham Forest director linked with new club after being banished from stadium and training ground

The ambitious project involving Edu at Forest has reached a bitter impasse just eight months after his high-profile arrival. The Brazilian has reportedly been told to stay away from both the City Ground and the club’s training ground as a permanent exit is finalised. His absence was notably felt during Forest’s recent 2-2 draw with Manchester City, marking the third consecutive game he has missed. This forced exile follows a turbulent period defined by a £200 million spending spree and a revolving door of managers, with Sean Dyche recently dismissed after just 114 days in charge. With Forest languishing in 17th place, the relationship between Edu and owner Evangelos Marinakis has seemingly reached a point of total collapse.

While Forest officially maintain that Edu is working as normal, the evidence on the ground suggests otherwise. Former manager Dyche recently voiced his bewilderment regarding the decision-making at the club during his short-lived stay. "On factual data and analysis, I can’t understand any of the decisions that were made," Dyche told The Football Boardroom podcast. Meanwhile, Flamengo president Luiz Eduardo Baptista (Bap) is looking for a new director to replace Jose Boto, who has been heavily criticised for calling the team "irresponsible" and being cold when Filipe Luis was surprisingly fired as head coach. Such criticism has led Bap to look for more prestigious executive profiles like Edu's, according to Globo.

Flamengo are reportedly considering a restructure of their entire football department to move away from a single-director model. President Bap is weighing up a two-tiered system: one executive to manage market strategy and another "dressing room" figure to handle player relations. With his extensive experience at Arsenal and the Brazilian national team, Edu is seen as the ideal candidate for the executive role. The interest comes at a time of deep unrest at the Maracana, where current director Boto has been "on the ropes" following a string of PR disasters and failed transfers.

For Forest, the priority is immediate Premier League survival under new boss Vitor Pereira, as they sit above the relegation zone only on goal difference. Resolving Edu's departure is a necessary distraction they must clear before the summer transfer window. Conversely, Flamengo are expected to move quickly to stabilise their hierarchy while new manager Leonardo Jardim begins his tenure. If Edu can negotiate a clean break from the City Ground, a return to Brazil offers him a chance to rebuild his reputation at one of South America's biggest clubs, potentially alongside club legends like Fábio Luciano in a revamped management structure.