Mail Sport exclusively revealed Edu's shock departure from Arsenal last month
The sporting director is set to link up with Evangelos Marinakis and his network
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By BEN WILLCOCKS
Published: 07:29 EST, 5 December 2024 | Updated: 07:29 EST, 5 December 2024
Evangelos Marinakis has opened up on his plans for ex-Arsenal sporting director Edu, who is poised to link up with Nottingham Forest and the Greek owner's network of clubs following his shock exit from the Emirates last month.
As Mail Sport's Sami Mokbel exclusively revealed in November, former Gunners midfielder Edu - who returned to the north London outfit in July 2019 as the club's first technical director and was later promoted to sporting director - stood down from his role after five years following talks with Arsenal's hierarchy.
It is now understood that Edu, 46, has agreed a deal to work with Marinakis and his global portfolio of clubs, which includes Greek outfit Olympiacos and Portuguese side Rio Ave, as well as Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.
Edu is widely credited with doing an excellent job at Arsenal and has played a crucial role in the club's rebuild under manager Mikel Arteta, whose team currently sit third in the Premier League table after successive campaigns challenging Manchester City for the title.
Opening up on his ambition to transform Forest into a top-six club in English football, Marinakis, 57, heaped praise on Edu as a sporting director and admitted he is 'very optimistic' about the prospect of working with him.
'Edu was a very good player and also a very good sporting and technical director,' the Greek told Sky Sports. 'I have a lot of respect for him.
Evangelos Marinakis (above) has opened up on his plans for ex-Arsenal sporting director Edu, who is poised to link up with Nottingham Forest and the Greek owner's network of clubs
Edu stood down from his role as Arsenal's sporting director following talks with the club's chiefs
Edu (right), pictured with Declan Rice (centre) is widely credited with doing an excellent job at Arsenal and has played a crucial role in the club's rebuild under manager Mikel Arteta (left)
'The results we saw over the years at Arsenal were very good and he has done an excellent job at Arsenal.
'What I can say is that I would like to cooperate with him on a much bigger project, a global project. I'm optimistic that in case all this goes ahead, it will be another successful venture for both of us.
'I'm very optimistic about it, but we need to see how this will be developed and will be finalised, if and when time allows.'
Edu won six trophies with Arsenal during his playing career, including two Premier League titles - in 2002 and 2004.
Since returning to the club as a director, Edu has witnessed one FA Cup triumph, with Arsenal also winning the Community Shield twice.
The Brazilian has previously expressed his pride at how the culture at Arsenal has improved since his return to the club, with the Gunners among the favourites to lift the Premier League this campaign behind league leaders Liverpool.
Edu once said in an interview that he was proud to have supported Arteta in 'changing how people see our club and the vision people have of Arsenal compared to the past.'
During the interview, he said: 'I want to win the best way possible. When we win the trophy, it is because we did it the right way. Ask every single Arsenal fan how they feel about that.'
Marinakis says he is 'very optimistic' about the prospect of working with Edu on a 'global project'
The Greek, pictured celebrating Olympiacos' Europa Conference League triumph last season, owns a global portfolio of clubs including Nottingham Forest and Portuguese side Rio Ave
The Gunners continued their title charge with a 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest have enjoyed a fruitful start to the season after successive campaigns battling for Premier League survival.
Despite losing 3-0 against Manchester City on Wednesday, Nuno Espirito Santo still sit sixth in the top flight with only Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland scoring more than in-form Forest No 9 Chris Wood, who has nine goals in 14 games already.
Mail Sport reported a fortnight ago that Marinakis is interested in adding iconic Brazilian side Vasco da Gama to his stable of clubs.
Early discussions about a possible deal, which would see Marinakis acquire a controlling stake in the South American club, are understood to be underway but described as still some distance from being even close to being finalised.
Edu, who played for Vasco's domestic rivals Corinthians, would likely play an influential role with Vasco if the takeover is successful.