Nottingham Forest transfer clues as Evangelos Marinakis has already laid out January ‘reality’
Nottingham Forest still have some big games to play to see out 2024 but thoughts are already turning to January.
It will be an important transfer window for the Reds as deals done could be crucial to their bid to push on in the Premier League. However, it is also likely to be a relatively quiet month for the club as only minimal tweaking to the squad is required.
Forest did some excellent business in the summer and the new additions have had a great impact on the pitch. Solid foundations are in place to build upon.
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo continues to insist he is not thinking about January yet. But from some of the comments made by the Portuguese, along with those of owner Evangelos Marinakis, it is possible to get a sense of what to expect. Below, we take a look at what the pair have so far had to say on transfers.
On financial considerations…
Marinakis: “We have the Financial Fair Play that restricts us from unlimited spending. We try our very best to make as much moves in order to strengthen our team wherever is needed.”
Nuno: “That’s the reality - there is not unlimited spending nowadays. But I’m not thinking about January, honestly.”
NottinghamshireLive says: Forest know only too well the perils of falling foul of Profitability and Sustainability Rules after last season’s points deduction for doing just that. They will not want a repeat of such a scenario in the future.
Both Marinakis and Nuno are very clear that money must be spent wisely and carefully in January. The Reds will look to make some key additions but keeping within the regulations will be front of mind.
On players attracting interest from other clubs…
Nuno: “This is the part we cannot control. When the moment comes, we have to be ready and operate as a club. But this is the part we cannot control, and January is so far ahead of us that we don’t even think about that.
“Now it is about our day to day, the way we operate and the way we work, the togetherness and the bond. All of those things have to become natural for us, then we deal with all the speculation and noise. Let’s try to avoid that, let’s try to ignore it and keep on track.
“Now we are all together. Tomorrow we work together. Today and tomorrow, everyone is going to be here. And after tomorrow, we will go day by day. It is day by day.”
NottinghamshireLive says: Forest are doing well, and that means star players are bound to attract admirers. Over the past year, there has been plenty of speculation about the likes of Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.
Keeping hold of their prized assets in the summer, despite no shortage of interest in them, was a real statement of intent from Marinakis and the club. They will hope for the same again in January, and that any transfer talk doesn’t prove to be a distraction.
On retaining key players in the summer…
Nuno: “What I value the most is that we were able to keep the core of the squad. That is the best step forward we can have. It goes with what we mentioned about identity - you cannot create identity if you keep selling players. I think that was the first step to continuity.
“When your players perform so well, you can expect other clubs to come in and try to take them. It is up to the club to create a situation to keep them, develop them and improve them. And if the right moment comes (to sell), do it. But I think after the two years we had as a club, this decision our ownership made to keep the core of the squad was huge and it is very valuable for us.
“I wanted to keep the core of the squad - not only the players in the press for taking attention of other clubs, but all the players. If you look, we have achieved that. The owner understood the situation when we were speaking about the next season. It goes back to the identity, it is impossible to build something if you continue to sell players. This was the best move we made.”
NottinghamshireLive says: In recent years, there has been a lot of change to the playing squad. Part of that was a necessity on the back of achieving promotion to the Premier League.
But for the Reds to kick on, stability and continuity was always going to be key. They are reaping the rewards of that now after seeing off any suitors for their star men in the summer.
Nuno’s words hint that he would like a repeat scenario next month. He accepts that you never know what might happen, but the Portuguese clearly sets out how valuable it has been to have the bulk of the dressing room remain in place.
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On how the summer was different to normal…
Nuno: “Totally different. Just to realise when you start a new project and you are starting in the summer, you take the summer to analyse what was the year before. We had five months (in charge) and then we had a break – and that is the moment to analyse what was before and what we want.
“My summer was very busy – much more so than normal. Not only me, the coaching staff and the recruitment - but we did it well. The main difference was we retained a large percentage of our squad. That makes a big difference.
“People can value who comes in but the real difference was the continuation of the core of the squad; the same routines. You can grow and improve.”
NottinghamshireLive says: It is a point Nuno has made a few times - that keeping players in the summer was key. The newcomers brought their own qualities, but they strengthened a solid base already in place.
Nuno is building something at the City Ground - he has made that point in several press conferences, too. He has consistently underlined the benefits of continuity, and that feels like an important message going into January.
On whether only a few signings may be required…
Nuno: “We never know what’s going to happen. Sometimes it’s not what you want, it is sometimes what you have to be ready for.”
NottinghamshireLive says: The Reds do not need a big overhaul in January. Just a few key additions could make the difference as they aim to build on their fine start to the campaign.
So far, Nuno has given little away about what deals he would like to see on the agenda. He was very open in the summer about how wingers were at the top of his wish-list, so while his cards are being kept close to his chest for now that could change in the coming weeks.
He is well versed in transfer windows, though. He knows it is almost impossible to predict what might happen. After all, Forest had a striker and a goalkeeper on their shopping list in the summer but didn’t manage to get a deal for either over the line.
