Nottingham Forest January transfer window 2025: El Hadji Malick emerges as key winter target for Tricky Trees and more.

Nottingham Forest Transfer Analysis and Overview- 2024

One of the most celebrated English football clubs, Nottingham Forest Football Club are famous for its two successive European championships and remarkable domestic success in English football. More than a century ago, the club was founded in the year 1865 and gradually established its legacy with success and glory.

After two seasons following their return to the English top flight, Forest is performing exceptionally well in this ongoing 2024/25 season. However, it’s still a far-fetched dream for the club to match their past success which includes two European Cups (UEFA Champions League), a First Division title, two FA Cups four English League cups, and more trophy room.

Nottingham Forest’s nicknames are The Reds, The Garibaldis, and The Tricky Trees and the City Ground stadium has been their home since the club’s inception. It’s situated near the banks of the River Trent in Nottinghamshire and holds a seating capacity of 30,000 fans. Moreover, the club has been home to numerous iconic players and managers of English football.

Nottingham Forest Transfers Club Performance History

In the entire history of Nottingham Forest, uncountable transfers have been executed most of them have worked but some of those signings have also failed to reach the desired expectations. Since, their return to the Premier League, they have had eventful transfers in the past two years of competition. It was quite a difficult period for them in the first season however, Forest has steadily found their feet and looking decent recently.

A large credit for their recent upliftment and impressive performances goes to the investments the English club made in the past two years. The signings of Chris Wood from Newcastle United, Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson Odoi and Morgan Gibbs-white have worked out in the favour of the Trickey Trees to form a competitive team to survive and compete in the English Premier League since the 2022/23 season.

Nottingham Forest Transfer Challenges and Criticisms

Nottingham’s first season in the Premier League was full of challenges due to the fact the majority of the players in the squad only arrived in the 2022 summer transfer window with 21 new signings which made it difficult for them to create chemistry among the players.

Financial Fair Play (FFP) woes have also caused serious troubles, the Premier League slapped with Punishment for breaching league financial rules and framework. The Reds accumulated more losses in the past three seasons exceeding the limit due to an imbalance in transfer policies and signings.

Since the summer of 2022, Nottingham Forest have overlooked their academy and youth system for producing players for the first team and have been relied on the big money signings and transfers to recruit and acquire players for the main team. It has also become a focal point of criticism from the fans.

Most Expensive Nottingham Forest Transfers

Earlier this summer, The Trickey Tress welcomed the most expensive signing in its history during the summer 2024 transfer window, after completing the record-breaking £35 million signing of Elliot Anderson. The midfielder who left Newcastle United to join Forest etched his name as the club’s biggest signing and he is already playing a key role in Nottingham manager Nuno Espírito Santo‘s side in this 2024/25 season.

Eliiton Anderon’s arrival broke the record of Ivory Coast International defender Ibrahim Sangaré, who cost Nottingham Forest £30 million fee in 2023 along with other big-money signings such as Danilo for £17 million and Anthony Elanga from Manchester United for £15 million and Newzealand ace Chris Wood from Newcastle for somewhat similar price tag of £14 million.

The Englishman who is hailed as the most gifted number 10, Morgan Gibbs-White ranks third on the list arriving at the City ground ahead of the 2022/23 season on a £25 million deal. He was amongst the names who bolstered the newly promoted Forest sign and became their pivotal part since then. Additionally, Taiwo Awoniyi forward from Union Berlin and Welsh Right Back Neco Williams from Liverpool were also signed in the same window and each was priced at £17 million approximately.

Nottingham Forest Transfers New Signings 2024/25

Nottingham Forest pressed the restart button this summer, starting things with a fresh start by bringing in the former Wolverhampton Wolves manager Nuno Espírito Santo who helped the club rediscover the form and identity and worked wonders with the squad. Newcastle United midfielder Eliiot Anderson was the highlight arrival at Forest for a club-record £35 million transfer fee making him the most expensive player in the club’s existence to give a significant boost to the midfield.

Brazilian defender Morata became the second expensive signing of the summer from Benfica at a reported fee of £15 million along with Serbian defender Nikola Milenkovic as the defensive pair bolstered the defensive ranks. David Carmo was signed from Porto FC and immediately sent on loan to Greek club Olympiacos until the end of the 2024/25 season. Jota Silva and Ramon Sosa are two wingers from Argentine clubs Telleres and Vitoris respectively for a combined fee of £20 million.

Meanwhile, two short-term acquisitions from the Premier League were also added to the squad this season: Alex Moreno from Aston Villa and James Ward-Prowse, who came from West Ham United on loan spells. Marko Stamenic, Carlos Miguel, and Eric da Silva Moreira were the other three major signings in the summer of 2024 for moderate fees below £5 million.

Nottingham Forest Transfers All Outgoings 2024/25

Apart from the lengthy list of arrivals Nottingham Forest also offloaded many players from their squad in the summer, especially those names who were not part of the Portuguese manager’s plans. Some of these also generated serious profits for the club as they also need to maintain their finances due to the Financial Fairplay challenges they have endured since returning to top-flight football.

On the list of departures, defensive midfielder Orel Mangala was sold to Ligue 1 giants Olympique Lyon for a hefty £30 million sum, though he is back in the Premier League on loan to Everton. Along with Mangala, the Senegalese centre-back Moussa Niakhate chose the same club to come with a £27 million fee as the second most expensive departure of the summer.

The 30-year-old Greek shot-stopper Odysseas Vlachodimos joined league rivals Newcastle for £10 million and centre-back, Joe Worrall was sold to related Burnley, £5 million profit. Brandon Aguilera, Alex Mighten and Julian Larsson both were offloaded on an undisclosed fee. Meanwhile, Marko Stamenic, David Carmo and Matt Turner — all were loaned out to secure regular minutes.

The Garibaldis parted ways with several players such as Cheikhou Kouyate, Wayne Hennessey, Harry Arter and Scott McKenna as they all were released after their contracts ended with the club in the summer.

Top Signings for Nottingham Forest in 2024/25

The England Under-21 International, Elliot Anderson has quickly integrated himself into Forest’s midfield set-up and so far has fairly justified his hefty price tag. The 22-year-old started 9 times out of the opening 13 Premier League outings. The Serbian International centre-back, Nikola Milenković has emerged as a key player in defence.

Milenkovic has started all the matches for The Tricky Trees this term except for the Premier League opener as he was not part of the squad, Also, the Winger, Jota Silva has gradually cemented his place as a starter under Nuno Espirito in the attack following a slow start to his spell at Nottingham.

Worst Signings for Nottingham Forest in 2024/25

The 26-year-old goalkeeper Carlos Miguel joined the Reds from the Brazilian club Corinthians in the summer, however, he has yet to make his debut appearance for the English club. The South American failed to impress, Nuno Espirito to earn a spot in the playing eleven. The rest of the incoming have been moderately impressive during the initial few months.

Nottingham Forest Transfer Spend Till Now

Elliot Anderson’s move from Newcastle was the most expensive deal for Forrest — a price tag of £35 million and other arrivals at the city ground include Nikola Milenkovic (£12m), Ramon Sosa (£9m), Morato (£15m) Alex Moreno (loan), Jota Silva (£11m) and James Ward Prowse (loan).

Forrest’s net spending in the financial balance sheet is a figure of £18 million, the Red’s careful spending proves that the four-point deduction is still fresh in Nottingham Forest camp. This has again restricted them from spending big enough to align their finances with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability rules.