Edu Gaspar has wasted little time finding his next role in football.
The former Arsenal sporting director has joined the board of directors at Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia, just days after his contract with Nottingham Forest was terminated following a turbulent spell at the Premier League club.
The move represents a strikingly quick reset for the 48-year-old, whose reputation had been significantly strengthened during his successful period at Arsenal before his Forest experience took a very different direction.
Edu joins Levski's new leadership structure
Edu's appointment was approved at Levski Sofia's general shareholders' meeting as the club unveiled a new five-person board.
He joins former Levski executive director Daniel Borimirov, alongside Claudio Pracownik, Felipe Berliner and Matthew Cherry.
The change is part of a wider restructuring of Levski's leadership.
The Bulgarian club is moving away from its previous two-tier management system and towards a single Board of Directors responsible for the organisation's management and strategic direction.
Edu's exact position within that structure has not yet been finalised.
The newly appointed board is expected to meet and select its chairman and determine who will take responsibility as executive director.
Why Levski wanted Edu
Although Edu will not initially be presented as the club's sporting director, his football expertise is expected to be particularly valuable.
Levski have highlighted his experience in sporting strategy, recruitment, talent development and organisational development.
That fits closely with the work Edu performed at Arsenal, where he helped build a new sporting structure alongside Mikel Arteta and played a major role in shaping the club's recruitment strategy.
His new position will allow him to use that experience from a board-level perspective rather than returning immediately to the traditional sporting-director role.
For Levski, it is also an opportunity to bring an executive with experience from elite European football into a club that is attempting to build a more sustainable long-term model.
Forest chapter ends after difficult spell
The timing of Edu's appointment is particularly notable because his Nottingham Forest departure only became official last week.
Forest appointed him in July 2025 as their Global Head of Football, giving him responsibility across recruitment, squad strategy, performance and player development within Evangelos Marinakis' wider football network.
However, his influence at the City Ground gradually diminished.
Edu had not attended a Forest match since February and was no longer involved in the club's day-to-day football operations.
Forest subsequently terminated his contract, bringing an end to a 14-month spell that never developed into the long-term project initially envisaged.
The club had already redistributed much of his responsibility, with George Syrianos promoted to Chief Football Officer.
A very different chapter after Arsenal
Edu's move to Levski comes after two contrasting experiences in senior football management.
At Arsenal, he became one of the key figures behind the club's rebuilding project after joining as technical director in 2019 before becoming sporting director in 2022.
His work alongside Arteta coincided with Arsenal developing into a consistent Premier League title contender, while several important recruitment decisions helped reshape the first-team squad.
Edu left Arsenal in November 2024 before joining Forest the following year.
His Forest spell ultimately ended in disappointment, but the rapid move to Levski gives him an opportunity to rebuild his reputation in a very different football environment.
What comes next for Edu?
Edu's arrival comes at an interesting time for Levski.
The Bulgarian club ended Ludogorets' long domestic dominance by winning the league last season and are now looking to establish themselves as a sustainable force at home while competing in Europe.
Edu will therefore enter a project that already has momentum but is also undergoing significant structural change.
For the former Arsenal executive, it is an unexpected next step — and one that could become much more significant once Levski's new board confirms his precise responsibilities.
After the disappointment of Nottingham Forest, Edu has secured another seat at the football decision-making table remarkably quickly.
Fan Debate
⚽ Goal: Can Edu help Levski build a stronger football structure?
🔥 Fire: Was leaving Arsenal for Forest ultimately the wrong career move?
😲 Shock: Did you expect Edu to return to football this quickly?
👍 Like: Can Edu succeed at Levski Sofia?
💬 Comment: What should Edu's next major project be?
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