Evangelos Marinakis confirms transfer final say as he reveals Nottingham Forest January priorities
Evangelos Marinakis has made clear Nottingham Forest’s priority in the January transfer window is to maintain the status quo.
The Reds go into the new year well aware there is no need to fix what isn’t broken. They sit second in the Premier League table after signing off for 2024 with a fifth win on the spin by beating Everton 2-0 on Sunday.
Owner Marinakis is keen to ensure the unified dressing room under Nuno Espirito Santo is not disrupted by too much change next month. Forest only need to make minor tweaks when they dip into the transfer market and it will be the head coach who has the final say on what is required.
“We will do whatever is needed to be stronger and of course our coach will decide what he really needs,” Marinakis told the Daily Mail at the Globe Soccer Dubai Awards. “We must keep the same spirit and same environment in the dressing room and all our players this year have the right spirit. This is a very good climate we should try our very best not to interrupt it.
“It is an important achievement because in all positions we have players who perform or even over-perform. For us this is our first priority – keep the momentum, keep winning and continue to enjoy the journey.”
Olympiacos, who Marinakis also owns, received the “club revelation” prize at the Globe Soccer Dubai Awards in recognition of last term’s Europa Conference League triumph. After a stunning first half of the campaign, following the Greek giants by securing European football is now very much a realistic ambition for Forest.
Nuno has overseen remarkable progress at the City Ground since taking charge little more than 12 months ago. For Marinakis, the decision to appoint the Portuguese is paying dividends.
“I wanted to bring Nuno to Nottingham, of course I supported him and now we see the results,” Marinakis said. “He is happy and we are happy. We have a good understanding and respect for each other.”
