Nottingham Forest's global head of football, Edu, has left the club after just over a year in the role, with his exit widely expected following months of absence and reported tensions behind the scenes. The former Arsenal midfielder had not attended a match since February, and his departure follows a public falling-out with former head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked last September as the first of four managers Forest employed during a chaotic season. Forest do not intend to replace him, with chief football officer George Syrianos taking on his duties instead.

Edu was appointed in July 2025, with a remit that also covered Marinakis-owned clubs Olympiacos in Greece and Rio Ave in Portugal. He joined after six years at Arsenal, where he became the club's first sporting director in 2022 and had earlier won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a player, and where he was instrumental in bringing in manager Mikel Arteta. His exit follows the appointment of former Olympiacos vice-president Theodore Giannikos as Forest's new chief executive last week, replacing Lina Souloukou, who stepped down at the end of last season.