Edu has departed his role as Global Head of Football at Nottingham Forest after a brief and troubled tenure. The Brazilian executive's exit follows months of being sidelined and a series of transfer decisions that failed to improve the Premier League side.
Edu was appointed by owner Evangelos Marinakis to oversee a multi-club model that included Olympiacos and Rio Ave. However, his assigned work quickly became "not what he envisaged". He struggled to build relationships with key members of Marinakis' staff, which made his job significantly more challenging. A particularly well-documented decline in his relationship with then-manager Nuno Espirito Santo contributed to Nuno's eventual departure from the City Ground.
The executive was effectively removed from his duties months ago, not attending a match since February and not visiting the club's training facility or the City Ground since early March. His stint has left him scarred and set back what was considered an upwardly mobile career trajectory. Andrea Berta has effectively taken over Edu's responsibilities, continuing to conduct the club's transfer business.
Edu's recruitment strategy failed to build on the club's seventh-place finish and European qualification in 2025. He led the pursuit of Igor Jesus from Brazilian club Botafogo and influenced several major signings. These included the £37.5million acquisition of Omari Hutchinson, loan deals for Douglas Luiz and Oleksandr Zinchenko, and the signing of James McAtee from Manchester City.
Only three of those four players-Hutchinson, Luiz, and Zinchenko-remain with the squad. James McAtee has particularly struggled to make an impact, a situation exacerbated by the constant managerial changes at the club last season. Nottingham Forest narrowly avoided relegation after cycling through four managers: Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche, and Vitor Pereira. Oliver Glasner is now in charge as the club looks to stabilize.
The club's present league standing reflects ongoing challenges. As of 08 September 2026, Nottingham Forest sit 16th in the Premier League with 2 points from three games, having recorded two draws and a loss in a DDL form sequence. They have scored 2 goals and conceded 3, leaving them with a -1 goal difference and already 7 points behind early leaders Manchester City.
Their next test is an away fixture against Aston Villa on 12 September 2026. Villa are currently 17th in the table, making it a significant early-season encounter for both sides. Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page and view the detailed standings.
Edu arrived at Nottingham Forest with a strong reputation built during his time at Arsenal. He helped assemble the Gunners squad that won the Premier League last season, playing a part in signings like Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Gabriel, and Declan Rice. He left the Emirates Stadium after nearly two years, following a second consecutive season where Arsenal finished as runners-up to Manchester City.
Upon leaving Arsenal, Edu stated, "This was an incredibly hard decision to make. Now it is time to pursue a different challenge." That challenge at Nottingham Forest, however, proved far more difficult than anticipated. The club's current squad details and performance statistics are available on the official squad and stats pages. Nottingham Forest travel to face Aston Villa at Villa Park on September 12th.
