NOTTINGHAM FOREST VERDICT: Disappointed… but not surprised. A huge recruitment drive had alarm bells ringing – now their Premier League status is set to be decided in the boardrooms as much as on the pitch
SUMMER 2022
Morgan Gibbs White. £25 million from Wolves. Offer review: 8
The attacking midfielder was one of the few players specifically asked about by former boss Steve Cooper and has been one of Forest’s key figures since his arrival.
Taiwo Awoniyi. £18 million from Union Berlin. Offer review: 7.5
Like Gibbs-White, the Nigerian forward has been a key figure for Forest but injury has limited him to just 27 starts since his arrival.
Neco Williams. £17m from Liverpool. Offer review: 6.5
Wales international is a promising full-back, although the feeling remains that Forest have paid too much for him – a common theme since promotion.
Emmanuel Dennis. £13 million from Watford. Offer review: 2
The first of many poor signings from Forest. He was offered to clubs just months after arriving and was loaned out to Istanbul Basaksehir last summer.
Orel Mangala. £11 million from Stuttgart. Offer review: 7
One of the better signings since promotion. The Belgian is a solid midfielder who would ensure Forest get their money back if they sell him. In this window he will be offered to Italian and Turkish clubs.
Moussa Niakhate. £8.5 million from Mainz. Offer review: 5.5
Solid enough at centre-half, but did Forest need him, especially if he struggles to stay fit? Niakhate has made just 25 starts since joining.
Giulian Biancone. £8.5m from Troyes. Offer review: 4
He broke his leg after just three first-team games and is now on loan at Olympiacos, also owned by Evangelos Marinakis.
Lewis O’Brien. £8 million from Huddersfield. Offer review: 2
The midfielder never featured regularly under Cooper and is now on loan at Middlesbrough after a similar spell at MLS club DC United.
Remo Freuler. £7 million from Atalanta. Offer review: 5
The Swiss midfielder had a strong reputation but lasted one season before leaving for Bologna when Nicolas Dominguez went the other way.
Omar Richards. £7 million from Bayern Munich. Offer review: 1
Was the defender fully fit when he joined Vorst? He has not yet played for his parent club and is on loan to Olympiakos.
Renan Lodi. £5 million from Atletico Madrid (loan costs). Offer review: 7.5
After a shaky start, the Brazilian played a crucial role in Forest’s successful survival bid, but the club opted not to sign him permanently.
Ui-jo Hwang. £2.5 million from Bordeaux. Offer review: 4
Another puzzling deal. Hwang never looked likely to make the grade at the City Ground and is now in the Championship with Norwich.
Willy Boly. £2 million from Wolves. Offer review: 8
The centre-back’s injury record made this deal look like a risk, but he has done well for Forest and should thrive under Nuno, who coached him at Wolves.
Harry Toffolo. £2 million from Huddersfield. Offer review: 7
The left-back joined O’Brien and has surpassed his better-known teammate. He played regularly under Cooper this season despite being punished for breaching gambling rules.
Josh Bowler. £2 million from Blackpool. Offer review: 2
Bizarre signing again. Bowler has never made a senior appearance for Forest and is now on loan at Cardiff after similar spells at Olympiacos and Blackpool.
Brandon Aguilera. £800,000 from LD Alajuelense. Offer review: 5
The Costa Rican youngster is an unknown quantity after just one senior appearance in 18 months. Another deal that Cooper was largely in the dark about.
Jesse Lingard. Free transfer. Offer review: 1
Perhaps the worst deal in the club’s history. The former England midfielder was paid more than £100,000 a week and made virtually nothing.
Cheikhou Kouyate. Free transfer. Offer review: 6.5
When fit, a solid man in midfield with the vital Premier League know-how that kept Forest at the top last season – but hardly a long-term deal.
Wayne Hennessey. Free transfer. Offer review: 6
The experienced Wales goalkeeper was brought in as a back-up but is no longer capable of being a No. 1 at Premier League level.
Adnan Kanuric. Free transfer. Offer review: 5
The young goalkeeper signed as a free agent and was released a year later. In between, he was loaned out to Oxford City and is now at Palermo
Serge Aurier. Free transfer. Offer review: 6.5
One of those players who seemed like a gamble, but performed better than expected, even if he struggles to stay fit long enough.
Dean Henderson. Loan from Manchester United. Offer review: 7
Excellent in the first half of last season before injury held him back and he never played for Forest again. Now with Crystal Palace.
Loïc Bade. Loan from Rennes. Offer review: 4
His seasonal loan with the Ligue 1 club was cut short. Bade left for Seville alone and ended up with a Europa League winners medal.
JANUARY 2023
Chris Wood. £18.5 million from Newcastle. Offer review: 5
So bad initially that there were even suggestions that Marinakis tried to renegotiate the deal after it was completed. Hat-trick against Newcastle showed signs of life.
Danilo. £17 million from Palmeiras. Offer review: 8
The Brazilian midfielder has made a stunning impact and although this season has been slow, he still looks like a big talent.
Jonjo Shelvey. £5.5 million from Newcastle. Offer review: 1
Rivals Lingard for calamity value. Given a two-and-a-half-year contract for £70,000 a week, Shelvey’s contract was terminated in September and he is now based in Turkey with Caykur Rizespor.
Felipe. £2 million from Atletico Madrid. Offer review: 6.5
Warrior-like displays helped Forest stay above water last season, but knee and hamstring injuries severely limited his involvement this season.
Gustavo Scarpa. Free transfer. Offer review: 5
Although technically impressive, the Brazilian midfielder never seemed suited to the English game and is now back in his homeland.
André Ayew. Free transfer. Offer review: 3
The Ghanaian had played for Cooper at Swansea but there was nothing in his Forest displays to justify his return to the Premier League.
Keylor Navas. Loan from Paris Saint-Germain. Offer review: 7
Three-time Champions League winner came on to cover for Henderson’s injury and made a number of key saves in big games.
SUMMER 2023
Ibrahim Sangare. £30 million from PSV Eindhoven. Offer review: 5
The club record signing has only shown a glimpse of his abilities and there is still a lot to be done to justify his price tag. Has the Eredivisie curse struck again?
Anthony Elanga. £15 million from Manchester United. Offer review: 7
Pace means he can be highly effective despite obvious technical and tactical shortcomings, and he is proving to be a rare smart signing for Forest.
Andreas Omobamidele. £11 million from Norwich. Offer review: 2
Why on earth was he signed? The centre-back was never considered ready for the level by Cooper and he could be loaned out this month.
Murillo. £10 million from Corinthians. Offer review: 9
Perhaps the best signing of the lot. The Brazilian centre-back looks top class and will soon be playing in the Champions League.
Nicholas Dominguez. £8.5 million from Bologna. Offer review: 7
The lively Argentine midfielder should be a useful player for Forest and should flourish under Nuno after growing frustrated under Cooper.
Matt Turner. £7 million from Arsenal. Offer review: 4
When the ball is at his feet, every Forest fan looks terrified. Believing Turner was a number one goalie at this level was recruiting at its worst.
Odysseas Vlachodimos. £4 million from Benfica. Offer review: 4
He is competing with Turner for a starting spot and is currently losing that race. That probably tells you everything you need to know.
Callum Hudson-Odoi. £2 million from Chelsea. Offer review: 5
Hudson-Odoi, once wanted by Bayern Munich, hasn’t done anything special for a while, but Forest can always be relied on to make silly transfer deals.
Nuno Tavares. £1 million from Arsenal (loan costs). Offer review: 2
Sign him urgently in August, realize he’s not good enough in September, try to leave him in January. Textbook Nottingham Forest.
Ola Aina. Free transfer. Offer review: 6.5
Reasonable deal for a reasonable player. Aina will never be a threat for the Champions League, but he is the kind of squad player a club like Forest should have.
Andrei Santos. Loan from Chelsea. Offer review: 3
Promising Brazilian midfielder joins the huge fanfare on social media, after which the coach concludes that he is not ready yet. It’s almost like they should have asked him first. Now back to Chelsea.
Gonzalo Montiel. Loan from Seville. Offer review: 5.5
World Cup winner hardly got a chance under Cooper, but Nuno clearly sees him more favorably and the Argentinian has responded well so far.
Divock Origi. Loan from AC Milan. Offer review: 2
What? Why? How? So many questions about this transfer. Origi is not the answer to the questions that matter. Another howler monkey from Forest.