Former Arsenal and Nottingham Forest transfer chief Edu has a new job – just a week after leaving the City Ground.
The former Brazil midfielder has joined the board of Bulgarian champions Levski Sofia.
While he been confirmed as a director, Edu is yet to be given any other official role, although it seems he will be involved in recruitment, just as he was at Forest, where he combined his role of global head of football with overseeing the other clubs in owner Evangelos Marinakis’ portfolio.
However, it proved a difficult job. Edu fell out with Nuno Espirito Santo – one of four managers Forest had last season – and was criticised over some of his transfer business. In March, it was reported that he was set to leave the role with suggestions that the 48-year-old had been told to stay away from the club.
The departure was confirmed last week but it hasn’t taken long for Edu to get started in a new position.
“We have to be ready for the transfer windows as early as possible to avoid hasty decisions,” he said, when speaking to the Bulgarian media. “We want to modernise the data and analysis. To have more vision in this aspect.”
Edu already knows fellow director Claudio Pracownik – a friend from his days in Brazil. Former Bulgaria international Georgi Kostadinov is currently Levski’s sporting director, while Spaniard Julio Velazquez is the manager.
Edu added: "If we have the opportunity to be close to Georgi, the coach and the football community, I will help them.
“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.”
The 48-year-old, who also highlighted the need to improve the club’s academy, will likely be back in England in January with Levski due to visit Sunderland in final round of league phase matches in the Europa League.
They play their first match in this season’s competition on Thursday, at home to Red Bull Salzburg.
