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Former Gunner has contract terminated by Nottingham Forest

Edu Gaspar’s contract with Nottingham Forest has finally been terminated, six months after the decision was made to part ways with the former Arsenal man.

Edu Gaspar, Global Head of Football of Nottingham Forest, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Arsenal and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on September 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Paul Taylor reported for The Athletic on Monday night that Edu Gaspar has officially left Nottingham Forest, with sources close to the club claiming the former Gunner’s contract has been terminated.

Edu was working for Forest as their global head of football, but he didn’t last long in the position. He was only officially appointed in July 2025, and by March 2026, reports suggested an internal decision had been made to part ways.

It took a long time for those reports to come to fruition, and The Athletic claim there’s no expectation Forest will ever announce the departure in an official statement. But he’s already been replaced via internal promotions.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 31: Edu, Sporting Director of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on March 31, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Tom Hamilton reports for ESPN that Edu didn’t play an active role in Forest’s summer transfer window, which is unsurprising considering reports in March suggested he’d been told to stay away from the club and the training ground. Officially, Edu’s last day in his role was last week.

Edu had initially signed a five-year deal with Forest, but the club held doubts about the director’s long-term future following his clash with manager Nuno Espirito Santo last year.

Despite Nuno’s departure, Edu’s presence at the club remained a contentious issue behind the scenes.

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 24: Omari Hutchinson of Nottingham Forest during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth at City Ground on May 24, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images)
Photo by Cameron Smith/Getty Images

Edu pushed for the signings of Douglas Luiz and former Gunner Omari Hutchinson last year, whilst Nuno and the recruitment team wanted other players. Luiz left the club in January, and Hutchinson is currently out on loan.

Edu was also key in the loan signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Arsenal, which did not go well at all. Zinchenko didn’t even finish the season before leaving for Ajax.

Forest had a poor season, finishing 16th, and Edu appears to have taken a lot of the blame for that. This contract termination has been an inevitability for a long time now.

UTRECHT, NETHERLANDS: Oleksandr Zinchenko of Nottingham Forest applauds the fans after the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 League Phase MD6 match between FC Utrecht and Nottingham Forest FC at Stadion Galgenwaard on December 11, 2025. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
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