Edu Gaspar has officially left his role as transfer chief at Nottingham Forest, a departure that follows a six-month period during which he was instructed to stay away from the club.
Gaspar has not attended a Forest match since February. Reports emerged in March that the Premier League club had told the Brazilian not to visit the training ground or the stadium. His contract has now been officially terminated.
Appointed in July 2025, Gaspar joined Forest after a significant tenure at Arsenal, where he was instrumental in the club's transformation under Mikel Arteta. Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis had hired Gaspar to oversee all football-related functions, including recruitment, performance, squad strategy, and player development. His responsibilities also extended to other clubs owned by Marinakis, such as Olympiacos in Greece and Rio Ave in Portugal.
Gaspar's tenure at Nottingham Forest was reportedly marked by an early disagreement with then-manager Nuno Espirito Santo, just weeks after his arrival at the City Ground. This strained relationship was viewed as a contributing factor to Nuno's eventual departure.
Nuno had publicly expressed concerns about Forest's transfer policy shortly before the previous season began. He struggled to adapt to the new structure implemented after Gaspar's arrival and was dismissed just three games into the season, despite having led the club into the Europa League earlier that year. Nuno was the first of four managers to hold the position at Forest during a turbulent campaign, with Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche, and Vitor Pereira also having brief spells.
Nottingham Forest is not expected to appoint a direct replacement for Gaspar. The club's chief football officer, George Syrianos, has assumed his responsibilities. Prior to joining Forest, Gaspar served as Arsenal's sporting director for five and a half years. He made the decision to leave Arsenal in November 2024, officially departing in April 2025 after a period of gardening leave. Gaspar was a member of Arsenal's 'Invincibles' squad during his playing career.
Under current manager Oliver Glasner, Nottingham Forest has started the new season with two draws and one defeat in their opening three Premier League matches.