Edu to advise Northampton Town owners after Forest exit

Former Arsenal director of football Edu has been named a senior advisor to the new owners of Northampton Town. The League Two side, currently sitting 23rd in the table, were taken over last month by a Brazilian consortium that includes former AC Milan and Chelsea forward Alexandre Pato.

Cobblers co-chairman Joao Xavier explained that Edu will provide ad hoc guidance on "sporting questions" rather than managing the club's day-to-day operations. This consultancy role follows Edu's recent move to join the board of directors at Bulgarian club Levski Sofia.

The connection stems from shared investment interests; Gemcorp Capital, the owners of Levski Sofia, are investors in Sports Alpha Capital, the group that recently acquired a majority stake in Northampton Town. Xavier noted that the club will not be part of a multi-club ownership project despite these overlapping interests.

Edu previously held the position of global head of football at Nottingham Forest before leaving in September. His tenure at the Emirates Stadium remains his most significant recent work, where he oversaw the recruitment process and the appointment of Mikel Arteta, helping the club secure its first Premier League title in 22 years.