Nottingham Forest have to raise £20m in transfer sales to comply with financial rules

Nottingham Forest will have to raise around £20 million in transfer sales before June 30 to ensure they continue to comply with financial controls.

Forest are under pressure to make a trading profit before the end of this month to avoid further sanctions from the Premier League, but the amount required is understood to be lower than first estimated.

After being deducted four points last season for breaching profitability and sustainability rules, Forest risk exceeding the permitted losses again unless players are sold.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo are the club’s two most coveted assets, and it is understood that one sale may be required this summer to guarantee financial stability over future seasons.

Forest are in a similar position to a number of other Premier League clubs, including Newcastle, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Wolves, where significant offers for their players would have to be assessed.

However, Forest are aiming to meet the £20 million figure before June 30 with the sales of fringe players and are relaxed about the situation.

Orel Mangala is set to become the club’s second biggest sale with a £25 million move to Lyon, after initially joining on loan on February 1. That fee is already factored in to Forest’s planning for the financial year.

Former captain Joe Worrall, goalkeepers Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos, Lewis O’Brien, Emmanuel Dennis and Josh Bowler are available and could bring in further profit.

Forest’s wage bill has already been slashed this summer with the departures of players out of contract including big earner Felipe, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Wayne Hennessey and Harry Arter.

The loans of Divock Origi, Gonzalo Montiel, Nuno Tavares and Giovanni Reyna also ended, with the club not looking to make any of those players permanent signings.

Forest will look to add a number of new signings ahead of the new season, with two goalkeepers likely to join.

Corinthians goalkeeper Carlos Miguel was regularly scouted last season, while Forest have also considered a renewed move for Sam Johnstone, Crystal Palace’s England international.

Che Adams, the Southampton forward, is another target but Forest face competition from Wolves and Brentford.