Edu Gaspar is under growing scrutiny at Nottingham Forest, with questions emerging internally about the long-term viability of his role as global head of football.
Forest go into Tuesday night’s meeting with West Ham having lost four consecutive Premier League matches, leaving them 17th in the table and searching for stability under their third head coach of the campaign, Sean Dyche.
Behind the scenes, though, the focus is on the structure above the dugout – and Edu’s influence within it.
Why Edu Gaspar’s role at Nottingham Forest is being questioned
Edu, appointed in July on a contract understood to be worth more than £3 million per year, was seen by owner Evangelos Marinakis as a statement hire.
The former Arsenal sporting director was tasked with overseeing all football operations, from recruitment and squad planning to performance and player development, across Marinakis’ multi-club network.
Instead, his presence has become a source of tension. Several sources point to Edu’s fractured relationship with Nuno Espirito Santo as a central factor in the Portuguese coach’s abrupt exit in September, just three games into the season.
The pair were barely on speaking terms by the time Nuno left, following repeated disagreements over transfer strategy and targets, and the rift was never repaired.
Nuno hinted at the dysfunction shortly before his dismissal. “I think everybody at the club should be together,” he said. “But this is not the reality.”
While Edu survived that episode, his standing has not fully recovered. Even after Nuno’s departure, his authority and decision-making remain contentious internally, with some believing the breakdown in that relationship has cast a long shadow over the entire campaign.
Recruitment tensions and Forest’s transfer strategy under Edu
Much of the criticism centres on recruitment. Edu is believed to have driven the signings of Douglas Luiz from Juventus and Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson, moves that were not universally supported by Nuno or other members of the recruitment team.
Hutchinson arrived for a club-record £37.5 million but featured for just 10 minutes across two substitute appearances under Nuno. Last month, the winger admitted bluntly: “Nuno didn’t speak to me.”
Douglas Luiz’s situation has been complicated by injury. The midfielder will join permanently for a fee in excess of £20 million if he reaches 15 league appearances of more than 45 minutes, but his availability has been limited so far.
Edu was also instrumental in securing Oleksandr Zinchenko on loan from Arsenal on deadline day. That deal has brought little immediate impact, with the left-back starting just one league game under Dyche due to fitness issues. There is no recall clause in the agreement.
Elsewhere, Forest’s decision to loan Arnaud Kalimuendo to Eintracht Frankfurt – less than five months after paying Rennes £26 million for the forward – has drawn criticism from supporters. Kalimuendo has barely featured in the league under Dyche, but his departure has raised eyebrows given Forest remain active in the Europa League.
Forest’s relegation fears and what happens next for Edu
Forest’s on-pitch struggles have only sharpened the focus on the hierarchy. The club have already dismissed Nuno and Ange Postecoglou this season, with Dyche now tasked with dragging them clear of danger.
Ironically, Nuno is now under pressure himself at West Ham ahead of Tuesday’s fixture, a match carrying significant weight at the bottom end of the table.
Edu is expected to be present at the London Stadium, but his own future remains uncertain. Marinakis initially viewed his appointment as a major coup – a Champions League-level executive, an Arsenal “Invincible” as a player, and a sporting director with five years’ experience at one of England’s biggest clubs.
The broader vision was for Edu to elevate Forest’s profile while helping align strategy across Olympiacos and Rio Ave.
Yet with Forest flirting with relegation and the fallout from Nuno’s acrimonious exit still unresolved, the connection between Edu’s appointment and the club’s instability has become increasingly difficult to ignore.
As Forest fight for Premier League survival, the spotlight is no longer solely on the touchline. The next decisive call may come above it.
