Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis isn’t backwards in coming forward.
The Reds bigwig – and man who restored Premier League football for the first time in 23 years – isn’t one to take no for an answer.
When it comes to off-field appointments, Marinakis looks set to get what he wants once more.
Now, the Forest owner has done it again with Edu set to swap Arsenal – where he could win the title and compete in the Champions League – for a role with Marinakis.
Edu could start working for the Marinakis empire very soon and a deal does feel close to completion.
Given that Arsenal will once again challenge for the title this season, this does feel like a bit of a strange one.
However, Marinakis has been very persuasive – most likely with his chequebook – and this looks like an exciting appointment for Forest.
Gary Neville disagrees with Ian Wright and Roy Keane on Edu joining Forest
Well, this decision is seemingly making waves in the football media.
Pundits and experts have been discussing the situation and it would appear that some of the top pundits at Sky Sports aren’t in agreement.
Ian Wright is Arsenal through and through and he’s surprisingly defended this decision made by Edu to join Forest.
On the latest episode of the Stick to Football podcast, Neville couldn’t fathom why Edu would consider leaving Arsenal for Forest, with Keane throwing his opinion in two.
The conversation went as follows:
Wright: “The thing is he has gone somewhere where he has Forest, Rio Ave and Olympiacos. It’s a massive job for him.”
Neville: “No, it’s not. I’m not having that. Leaving Arsenal.”
Wright: “It’s a different kind of job in terms of what he wants to do. I get what you’re saying in respect to Arsenal trying to win the league and the Champions League…”
Neville: “If the sporting director of my club, and I took Arsenal as being a massive club left for Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave, I would be gutted.”
Keane: “We’re not saying they’re bigger clubs. It’s a different challenge for him. I wasn’t that shocked when it happened.”
Neville: “I was shocked. To go and work with Forest and Olympiacos and not see it through and win the league. I am finding it immensely strange, I’ll be honest with you.”
Edu could be huge appointment for Forest off the field
Being totally honest, even as a Forest supporter it’s hard not to kind of agree with Neville.
Arsenal have been transformed under Edu with the appointment of Mikel Arteta and the building of a team that looks like they can win things.
However, Edu is now going to leave before anything has been won – and that feels a little weird.
But, as Wright points out perhaps Edu is keen to oversee the operation of a full empire and his job specification feels a little different under Marinakis.
Although he will be working for Forest, there will be other responsibilities for him to take care of too.
One way or another, this feels very exciting from a Forest point of view and it will be fascinating to see what can be achieved under Edu.
Receive a digest of our best Nottingham Forest content each week direct to your mailbox
