Edu Gaspar fighting to save job as Forest slump into relegation battle

Edu Gaspar’s position as Nottingham Forest’s global head of football is coming under increasing scrutiny amid a turbulent season on and off the pitch.

Doubts have emerged internally over the Brazilian’s long-term future, less than six months after he arrived at the City Ground on a lucrative deal.

Edu was appointed in July on a contract understood to be worth more than £3 million per year, with owner Evangelos Marinakis viewing the move as a statement of intent.

Forest announced at the time that Edu would oversee all football operations, including recruitment, squad planning, performance and player development.

However, his presence has proved contentious, with tensions behind the scenes now feeding into wider uncertainty about the club’s direction.

Much of the strain is linked to Edu’s fractured relationship with former head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, whose exit in September followed a rapid breakdown in communication.

The pair clashed early in the season over recruitment strategy and transfer targets, and that rift was never repaired.

Those familiar with the situation believe the collapse of that working relationship was a significant factor in Nuno’s dismissal after just three league games.

Nuno publicly hinted at internal problems shortly before his departure, stating that unity within the club “was not the reality”.

Forest are now on their third head coach of the season and sit 17th in the Premier League after four consecutive defeats under Sean Dyche.

The club’s precarious league position has intensified scrutiny of decisions made at executive level during the summer.

Edu was influential in pushing through several high-profile signings, including Douglas Luiz, Omari Hutchinson and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Hutchinson arrived for a club-record fee but featured only briefly under Nuno and later admitted there was little communication between them.

Luiz has struggled with injuries since joining and will only complete a permanent move if he meets appearance-related conditions.

Zinchenko’s loan has also been disrupted by fitness issues, with the full-back starting just once in the league under Dyche.

Forest have also sanctioned the loan departure of Arnaud Kalimuendo, less than five months after paying Rennes £26 million for the forward.

That decision has drawn criticism from supporters, particularly with the club still competing in Europe and short of attacking depth.

Edu is expected to attend Tuesday’s meeting with West Ham, now managed by Nuno, in what is shaping up to be a pivotal fixture in the relegation battle.

Marinakis initially viewed Edu’s appointment as a key step in expanding his multi-club project across Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave.

The former Arsenal sporting director arrived with a strong reputation, having played for the Invincibles and later risen through Arsenal’s executive ranks.

Yet with Forest hovering just above the drop zone, questions are being asked about whether that vision is translating into stability.

As pressure mounts, Edu’s future appears increasingly tied to Forest’s fight for Premier League survival.