Nottinghamshire

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has offered up his annual predictions:

10) Nottingham Forest

Last season: Seventh

It was a stellar season last time out for Nottingham Forest, who were serious Champions League contenders until late nerves set in. I'm not expecting as much this season, but European football is back at the City Ground, and no one can question the ambition of owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Morgan Gibbs-White looked gone to Tottenham Hotspur one minute, then signed a new contract the next - a huge boost after the departure of Anthony Elanga to Newcastle United.

Forest still have the bedrock of goalkeeper Matz Sels with powerful defensive duo Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic in front of him, and adding Brazil striker Igor Jesus and Switzerland winger Dan Ndoye has provided extra threat.

Expect more new arrivals - Manchester City's James McAtee has been heavily linked - as Marinakis and manager Nuno Espirito Santo try to ensure Forest continue to move forward.

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Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Bournemouth are in talks to sign Fulham winger Macauley Zepa but expect competition from Nottingham Forest.

The French youngster is looking to leave Craven Cottage amid concerns about his pathway into Marco Silva's first team having refused to sign a professional contract on his 17th birthday in July.

Fulham would be due compensation but Bournemouth are looking to extend the ambition of their academy following renewed training ground investment under Bill Foley's ownership.

Zepa scored 11 goals and supplied 10 assists in 30 league matches for Fulham's Under-18s last season and is understood to be negotiating terms over a move into Bournemouth's academy team.

However, there is caution given known interest from Forest and the potential for a rival offer.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest are considering their next move for Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson.

The Tractor Boys have rejected a £35m offer from Forest for the former Chelsea youngster, with the City Ground side now assessing their options.

Forest, who open their Premier League season at home to Brentford on Sunday, have already brought in winger Dan Ndoye from Bologna to replace Anthony Elanga, who has gone to Newcastle.

Brentford also had an bid worth £35m rejected for England Under-21 wideman Hutchinson, who won the European Championship in the summer with the Young Lions and scored in their final win over Germany.

It matched Hutchinson's release clause but because of the payment structure, with the money spread over time, Ipswich could turn it down and the clause has now expired.

Pat Riddell
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

After last season's achievement - and some might still argue underachievement - Nottingham Forest will undoubtedly hope to improve on a seventh-place finish and an FA Cup semi-final.

As fans, we have to hope that means the squad improvements continue, the new signings settle and the existing players maintain their performance from last season.

Nuno Espirito Santo's tactics will develop to increase possession, be more proactive with the ball and dominate some games, particularly where the opposition hand us the initiative.

The European adventure is one to be excited about and greater squad depth will hopefully see us balance competitions both at home and abroad, with eyes on a top-five finish.

Of course, the fear factor is that last season was a one-off and all the other Premier League teams will have strengthened to the extent that breaking into the top six or seven will be beyond those without the revenues to spend big.

While Europe is undoubtedly something everybody is eyeing gleefully, the prospect of playing in excess of 50 games will be a challenge for a squad that ran out of steam last season.

And will Nuno be found out if a low possession, counter-attacking approach does not work this time around? Or, indeed, if our squad depth and injury situation hinders rather than helps us.

Obviously a new contract for Morgan Gibbs-White and additional arrivals will hopefully see us in good stead. But there is an argument either way for underachieving or overachieving again.

With relatively little recent success to compare against, Forest again have an opportunity to write their own history.

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