Nottingham Forest restructures: Edu departs, Syrians take charge

Nottingham Forest has confirmed the separation from Edu Gaspar, head of the sporting area, after just over a year at the City Ground; his duties will be transferred to George Syrianos, the current chief executive, marking a new phase of managerial reorganisation.

The context of Edu's departure

According to the English press, Edu Gaspar has not attended a Forest match since last February; his prolonged absence had already hinted at his exit. The club confirmed that the contract was terminated by mutual consent, thus ending his spell of just over a year at the City Ground.

The relationship with the then‑coach Nuno Espírito Santo had deteriorated, culminating in his dismissal last September. Nuno had alluded to internal tensions and a shift in his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Edu joined Forest in July 2025, after six seasons at Arsenal where, from 2022, he became the club’s first sporting director. In that role he helped build the side managed by Mikel Arteta, appointed by Edu and later winning the Premier League after twenty‑two years.

The new managerial structure

The duties of head of the sporting area will be handed to George Syrianos, the club’s current chief executive. Nottingham Forest, for now, does not plan to appoint a new sporting director, leaving the day‑to‑day management to Syrianos.

A few days before Edu’s departure, Forest announced Theodore Giannikos as the new chief executive, succeeding Lina Souloukou, who stepped down at the end of last season. This appointment completes the reorganisation phase launched by the owner.

The restructuring continues with a focus on projects linked to the other clubs in the Marinakis group, such as Olympiacos in Greece and Rio Ave in Portugal, which had been overseen by Edu. With Syrianos at the helm, the club aims to maintain continuity on these fronts.

The contrast between the exit of a high‑profile executive and Syrianos’s internal promotion highlights a shift towards a more centralised, top‑down management, marking a new chapter for Nottingham Forest.