Nottingham Forest’s dream transfer window as duo stay and panic averted
This time next week, the transfer window will already be open for business in what is an important summer for Nottingham Forest.
Clubs can start overseeing incomings and sanctioning outgoings from next Friday (June 14). They have until 11pm on August 30 to get deals done.
For Reds head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, this is his first real opportunity to put his stamp on the squad. Making progress will be the aim for Forest next term, and they need the right group in place to be able to do that.
Duo stay put
If we are talking ideal scenarios, then both Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo staying put Trentside falls into that category. They are exceptional talents.
The reality is other teams are also aware of how good they are and Forest also need to be mindful of avoiding another Profitability and Sustainability Rules breach. That may well mean tough calls have to be made, including with regards to their star assets.
Nuno will be braced for that. He admitted after the final-day win over Burnley that there will inevitably be interest in some of his young charges. He also expressed frustration that PSR restrictions means players have to be sold – a concern for other Premier League sides, too.
Numbers trimmed
While a perfect window would involve Gibbs-White and Murillo remaining at the City Ground, the same does not apply to others on the books. The squad needs slimming down.
Nuno made clear his desire to work with a small group in January. The club made inroads into trimming numbers during the winter window and have continued down that path with six senior players released at the end of their contracts, but they could do with offloading some more.
Some players have had a succession of loan spells and are yet to make a first-team appearance in the Garibaldi. It might be that Nuno wants to make his own judgement on them, but expect some departures either way.
The future looks uncertain for the likes of Lewis O’Brien, Josh Bowler and Hwang Ui-jo, for example. But even some players who were part of Nuno’s squad last season could depart – reports have suggested goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, for instance, could seek a move away amid a lack of game time.
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Squad strengthened
The best-case scenario for the Reds is to emerge from the window in a stronger position; with strength in depth throughout the squad. That will certainly be the club’s aim.
Wholesale changes should not be required, but bring in a few key additions and there will be a belief Forest can push on. There is the basis of a good group in place, it is about building on that foundation.
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