After officially joining Nottingham Forest, Edu Gaspar will finally have the chance to work with one player he was eager to sign at Arsenal.
It was a real shock when Edu left Arsenal in November, stepping away from his role as sporting director in search of a new challenge.
Mikel Arteta was stunned when Edu left, as the Brazilian and his Spanish counterpart had enjoyed almost five years together, with the former player an advocate for the Arsenal manager’s hiring.
A new challenge is on the horizon for Arsene Wenger’s former midfielder, as the Gunners’ ex-sporting director has taken on a huge role at Nottingham Forest.
Forest have appointed Edu as their Global Sports Director, giving the 47-year-old a far greater responsibility than what he had at Arsenal.
There are some familiar faces waiting in the Midlands for Edu, who will link up with Matt Turner at the City Ground, reuniting with the ex-Arsenal goalkeeper.
Turner isn’t the only person of interest to Arsenal that the Brazilian will cross paths with, as one player he wanted to sign in N5 has just joined Forest.
Before Edu left, Arsenal were linked to Igor Jesus, Botafogo’s former striker, who just completed a transfer to Forest.
Even after the sporting director left North London, Arsenal’s interest in Jesus continued, as in May, it was reported that the Gunners had tabled an offer for the 24-year-old.
Following the conclusion of Botafogo’s run at the Club World Cup, Jesus completed a move to Forest, where he’ll have his first taste of European football, having learned his trade in Brazil and Dubai.
Having shown blistering form since his transfer to Botafogo in 2024, it’s clear to see why Edu was charmed by Jesus at both Arsenal and now, Forest.
Recently, the striker did something that the Gunners were unable to, scoring the winning goal in Botafogo’s Club World Cup win over Paris Saint-Germain.
Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG, who, of course, went on to win the final.
In a game dominated by the European champions, Jesus was able to break the deadlock and steer Botafogo to victory.
Forest’s new signing ended his Club World Cup journey having scored two goals in four games, form he’ll be desperate to carry over to the City Ground.
