Former Arsenal and Nottingham Forest football chief Edu has found a new challenge, joining the board of Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia just days after his departure from Forest was officially confirmed.
The 48-year-old Brazilian, who spent years shaping Arsenal's recruitment strategy before moving to the City Ground, has been named a director at the Bulgarian club, though his precise responsibilities have not yet been fully outlined. It is expected, however, that he will take a hands-on approach to recruitment, mirroring the role he held at Forest, where he served as global head of football while also supervising other clubs under the ownership umbrella of Evangelos Marinakis.
Edu's tenure at Forest was far from smooth. He reportedly clashed with Nuno Espirito Santo, one of four different managers the club cycled through last season, and faced scrutiny over several transfer dealings. Speculation about his exit began circulating in March, with reports suggesting he had been instructed to keep his distance from the club well before his formal departure was announced.
Despite the turbulence of his final months in England, Edu has wasted little time settling into his new post in Bulgaria. Speaking to local media, he outlined his ambitions for Levski Sofia, emphasizing the importance of proactive planning in the transfer market.
"We have to be ready for the transfer windows as early as possible to avoid hasty decisions," Edu said. "We want to modernise the data and analysis. To have more vision in this aspect."
The move to Levski also reunites Edu with an old friend, fellow board member Claudio Pracownik, whom he has known since his days in Brazil. He will work alongside sporting director Georgi Kostadinov, a former Bulgaria international, and head coach Julio Velazquez, a Spaniard currently in charge of the first team.
Edu made clear he intends to support the existing football staff rather than overhaul the operation immediately, pointing to the club's recent success as a foundation to build upon.
"If we have the opportunity to be close to Georgi, the coach and the football community, I will help them," he said. "We have just become champions and are playing in the Europa League. We are not starting from scratch. We are doing well, but we need to take the best possible steps to develop further."
Beyond the first team, Edu also stressed the need to strengthen Levski's youth setup, identifying academy development as another priority area for the club moving forward.
Levski Sofia's European campaign is already underway, with the club preparing for its opening Europa League league-phase fixture against Red Bull Salzburg at home on Thursday. Their continental journey could eventually bring Edu back to English shores, as Levski are scheduled to travel to Sunderland for the final round of league phase matches in the competition come January.
For Edu, the switch from one of England's most scrutinized football operations to a modernizing project in Eastern Europe represents both a fresh start and a return to a more focused role, free from the wider club-group responsibilities that defined his time under Marinakis' ownership structure.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport (Football).