Nottingham Forest

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.

Find more from Pat Riddell at The Famous Club, external

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Karan Vinod
BBC Sport journalist

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Manchester City attacking midfielder James McAtee is nearing a move to Nottingham Forest, according to reports.

Still only 22, the Salford-born midfielder has had limited starting opportunities at City, but his flashes of quality - backed by the numbers - suggest he could be a shrewd addition for Nuno Espirito Santo.

McAtee played 959 minutes in all competitions for City last season. In statistical terms, that's a small sample size, meaning raw totals don't tell the full story. Instead, per-90 metrics give a clearer picture of his impact when he is on the pitch.

McAtee's 9.22 progressive passes received per 90 is a standout figure, suggesting he consistently finds pockets of space beyond opposition midfield lines. This movement makes him a valuable outlet for ball progression - a trait Nottingham Forest could harness to transition quickly from defence to attack.

Coupled with 5.88 touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, the midfielder's profile leans towards a player who not only gets into dangerous positions but does so frequently, signalling strong off-ball intelligence.

Defensively, McAtee's 1.96 tackles per 90 indicates he's willing to engage in out-of-possession work, a necessity in a Forest side that often spends stretches without the ball. While not a defensive specialist, that level of contribution shows he's not purely a luxury player.

His SCA (take-on) rate of 0.59 per 90 also hints at his ability to beat a man and directly create shooting opportunities, offering Forest an additional weapon when breaking down low blocks or hitting on the counter.

One area to watch is ball retention. His 0.78 dispossessions per 90 is relatively low for an attacking midfielder, which suggests he is careful in possession and makes calculated risks when taking on defenders. For a team like Forest, who can't afford to waste attacking opportunities, this combination of creativity, movement, and ball security could be invaluable. While the dataset is limited, these per-90 figures show a player with the technical and tactical tools to adapt quickly to a more prominent role in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest are close to agreeing a deal for Manchester City's 22-year-old English midfielder James McAtee. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Bobbie Jackson
BBC Sport journalist

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Uefa regulations around multi-club ownership and European competitions are in place to prevent collusion.

In the governing body's rulebook, a club is required to prove they are not "simultaneously involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition".

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also controls Greek side Olympiakos, avoided regulations around multi-club ownership by diluting his control of the Premier League side, which was announced in April.

John Textor took similar steps to help Crystal Palace's prospects of playing in the Europa League by agreeing to sell his stake to New York Jets owner Johnson in June.

Ultimately, there were no sanctions to avoid and no case to answer for Forest - they fell short in their Champions League challenge and are therefore not in the same competition as Olympiakos.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on whether Nottingham Forest are ready for the new season as they prepare to kick off at home to Brentford on Sunday.

Here are some of your comments:

Sean: In terms of results, it's not been an ideal pre-season. However, the new faces look very promising so it's likely to just be a case of working at it and the goals will come. We looked worn out at the end of last season, so with that in mind and the prospect of a European campaign, we need to sign a few more players and have a little squad depth. Ideally, had we signed more players by now we could have used them more in pre-season but now it'll have to be a case of getting them up to speed in the Premier League.

Ken: I will only start worrying if we don't score against Brentford. I will say this: am I the only one who thinks the rest of the squad are distant from Gibbs-White since he had his new deal? Murillo has been awful. David Carmo has been excellent. Awoniyi looks sharp, Hudson-Odoi looks disinterested. Nuno has remained silent. Morato surely has to go? Jesus has had so little service that he must be wondering why he came. Ndoye looked good.

Kevin: Absolutely terrified for the coming season. One goal across all those games? Barely any signings. I fear we maybe about to repeat the mid-90s when Forest finished third, ninth and then got relegated. Difficult times ahead for this season after what was a massive overachievement last term.

Ken: At the moment, very concerned. Our squad is still too light. What's worse is the lack of chances created for Igor, Jesus, Woody and Taiwo. If Nuno continues with this counter-attacking style, it won't work, teams have rumbled it. We should be going for Harvey Elliott and James McAtee as they are both creative. At the moment, Gibbs-White looks disinterested, Hudson-Odoi looks like he doesn't want to be there and Murillo looks like he is more interested in the London lifestyle than helping his club. If we make a bad start, I fear for Nuno, I really do. He needs to find a plan B, and quick.

Tony: Really concerned at how impotent Forest have looked in front of goal in pre-season. The whole team just do not seem to be in tune with each other. Last year they looked 'together' but not so much so far. The subs seemed to have a completely different mindset to the starting XI, who themselves seemed caught between last season's set-up and the new one deployed so far. Could be a big, bumpy landing next week if not sorted pronto.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest's place in the Europa League for this season has been confirmed after Crystal Palace lost their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) against being demoted from the competition.

Palace qualified for the Europa League after winning the FA Cup last season but were punished by Uefa for breaching multi-club ownership rules.

American businessman John Textor owned a 43% stake in the club until he sold it in July and is the majority owner of Lyon, who have also qualified for the Europa League.

As a result, Forest were moved from the Conference League into the Europa League, with the Eagles taking their place in the third-tier competition.

The ruling from Cas said:

• Regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date, as Palace claimed.

• Textor still had decisive influence over both clubs at the time of Uefa's assessment date.

• The panel also dismissed Palace's argument that they received unfair treatment in comparison to Nottingham Forest and Lyon.

Nottingham Forest have made an offer for Monaco's 21-year-old French midfielder Soungoutou Magassa. (L'Equipe - in French), external

Kostas Tsimikas is edging nearer to leaving Liverpool after being left out of their Community Shield squad, with Nottingham Forest having been interested in the 29-year-old Greece left-back. (Echo), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest ended their pre-season campaign with a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabian side Al Qadsiah at the City Ground on Sunday.

In a largely uneventful match, Nuno Espirito Santo made nine substitutions.

It means Forest finish the summer with five draws and two defeats from seven friendlies.

Pre-season is almost completed and the countdown to the 2025-26 season is on.

It's been a busy summer at the City Ground with four arrivals and six departures.

Forest start the season at home to Brentford on Sunday - but are they ready?

Get in touch

You have been sharing your stories and photos about why you love Nottingham Forest.

Here is a final selection of your submissions, but do make sure you scroll down this page to see all the best responses from throughout the week:

James: While growing up in different parts of the country I didn't really identify with football clubs until living near Nottingham in my teens. The fervour of the club and the loyal fans have always made me think of Forest as a true football team with pride and passion, in a fine city. The roar of the crowds and the friendliness is something to behold. It was a real joy to see them back in the Premier League where they belong. "Nottingham Forest are magic!"

Graham: My mum used to take me to watch Torquay United. Forest came down to play a pre-season friendly. They had just purchased Peter Shilton. He was getting bombarded by toilet rolls being thrown... then picked up a handful of mud and chucked it back. It went all over my mum. He came over and apologised. Brian Clough walked around the pitch and had a chat and a laugh with her. She dined out on that story until she died. I just thought anyone who could chuck mud over my mum must be worth following.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Nottingham Forest captain Terry Hennessey has died at the age of 82.

Hennessey made over 159 appearances for Forest between 1965 and 1970, earning 39 caps for Wales over the span of a decade.

The club said in a statement: "Everyone sends their condolences to Mr. Hennessey's family and friends at this extremely difficult time."

Hennessey began his career with Birmingham, where he made 178 appearances and won the League Cup in 1963.

After leaving the City Ground he joined Derby County and won the First Division title under Brian Clough in 1972.

Paul Taylor - Nottingham Forest writer at The Athletic - speaking on the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast about Forest's pre-season campaign: "You have to be a little bit worried on some scale with Forest only scoring one goal, but pre-season is never a proper pedometer of how you will fare.

"There have been times when Forest have had really good pre-seasons and then that has not carried through to the start of their campaign.

"When you have only scored one goal in all the pre-season matches you have played then obviously that is a concern, especially when you have lost Anthony Elanga, who was one of the most creative outlets.

"But all that matters is that they are ready to go and are injury free. I wouldn't worry what happens too much in pre-season."

Nottingham Forest continued their pre-season preparations with a goalless draw against Serie A side Fiorentina at the City Ground on Wednesday evening. Their final friendly is on Saturday when Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah visit the City Ground (17:30 BST).

On the transfer market and Nuno's hopes: "Instead of trying to compete with lower end Premier League teams, Forest are competing with teams like Newcastle and Manchester United. That is a whole different kettle of fish. They will find it difficult to compete with teams who have so much history.

"As Forest continue to try and build their rise, they have got to find of way to be clever again and compete in something that isn't a level playing field.

"Their recruitment has been brilliant, but there is pressure to keep being brilliant when the landscape is changing.

"Nuno still wants to add four, maybe five signings. He definitely needs full-backs.

"When you have lost players like Alex Moreno and Harry Toffolo, you need to add some new players. They want another winger as well.

"It will be interesting to see if their recruitment is as good as it has been in recent years."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates speaking on the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast on how he feels pre-season has gone: "Really good. I can't believe how quickly it has gone. Every season it seems to go quicker and quicker!

"We have had a really good, positive tour and got some good minutes in the legs for most of the squad. We are ready to go now.

"Portugal was a really positive tour. We got so much good work done there.

"It is tough in pre-season because you want to be fresh going into any game. But sometimes you go in with heavy legs having done harder training sessions.

"It's all for the greater good however. We will feel the benefits of that throughout the season."

Nottingham Forest have signed Dan Ndoye from Bologna in a deal worth £34m while Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn has joined the side on a one-year deal.

"We have bonded as a group really well and have got to know the new players," Yates added. "The first five to 10 games of the season will be the true test.

"From a player's point of view, it has been positive. We are focusing on each day as it comes and we are looking forward to Brentford.

"This is a totally fresh slate, it doesn't matter what has gone before now once the new season starts."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Another edition of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast is now available.

The Athletic's Forest correspondent Paul Taylor joins host Colin Fray to put the spotlight on the Reds' pre-season as the search for goals goes in - plus hear from club captain Ryan Yates.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Image source, Nottingham Forest FC

Nottingham Forest have unveiled their away kit for the upcoming season.

The Reds say "one of Nottingham's greatest exports, lace, will provide the base of our new look".

Nottingham's lace market is two miles away from the City Ground, and "was the heartbeat of the lace industry in the 1800s".

This week, we are asking you to share your stories and photos for why you fell in love with Nottingham Forest.

Here is a selection of your submissions:

Tim: As an Australian Forest fan through my father, watching from afar in the 1990s, it was on a Monday night TV highlights show where I could hope for a few minutes from the match.

Finally in 1996, when I was 13 years old, we made the trip back and were at the City Ground for the 1-1 draw with Derby.

Dean Saunders scored for the Reds and I will never forget the noise and passion (my dad was getting hugs from the guy next to him).

Compared with Australian sport, it was mind-blowing and I have been a fan ever since.

Send us your pictures and stories here

Image source, Getty Images

Alisson, Emi Martinez, Matz Sels and David Raya have been nominated for the 2025 Yashin Award.

The trophy - named after former Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper and Ballon d'Or winner Lev Yashin - is awarded to the best performing goalkeeper of the previous season.

Alisson won the maiden edition of the award in 2019, while Martinez is looking to pick up the trophy for a third time after winning in both 2023 and 2024. It is a first-time nomination for both David Raya and Matz Sels, who shared the Premier League Golden Glove in 2025.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Danielle Sarver Coombs

When it comes to our love for a football club, the answer to why we do lies in "both psychological and societal" reasons.

In the first part of her chat with BBC Sport, researcher and co-writer of the Routledge Handbook of Sport Fans and Fandom Danielle Sarver Coombs spoke about the part that identity and tradition play.

And yet when we are caught up in the emotions of a tough defeat or nerves of an important match, we can often ask why we put ourselves through it.

"There are psychological processes at work and physiological ones in terms of how we respond and engage," Sarver Coombs said.

"An example that I always give is when I take the train to work, I go past Arsenal's stadium and I feel literally nothing other than: 'Oh, that's a big building'. Whereas on a train to Manchester, I went by Villa Park and my heart started pounding. I got all excited and was trying to take pictures out the window.

"I had a visceral reaction to this place. We can't pretend we don't have that sort of physical reaction because we do.

"When someone is talking about a controversial decision and I feel myself getting wound up, even though I intellectually know that I can't control it and that it's just a game, my body doesn't know that.

"My gut doesn't know that and so I have this really emotional response and we can't control that."

A 2023 book titled 'Football on the brain: why minds love sport, external' suggests it comes down to 'an understandable and logical consequence of the human mind's natural inclination to find meaning through beliefs... It's a religion as far as the brain is concerned'.

But it not just about what is going on inside the mind but outside influences too.

"There is a sociological element to it because the community part is such a huge driver and benefit for us," Sarver Coombs explains.

"Sociologically, we are driven to be part of communities. We are driven to find our groups that we can be members of. Sport provides a way to do that - this sense that I was chosen to be part of this community and it's something bigger than I am."

As the game expands, unrest among supporters seems to be increasing, but how does that impact this ingrained love for a club?

"You always go through these cycles when the game is changing," Sarver Coombs said.

"Despite all the changes, the traditions remain so strong and it's such a huge draw that it becomes really hard to actually separate yourself from it. Even if you do, it tends to be a short-term separation. You get sucked back in because something happens.

"People don't want that change, but then we adapt to it and continue moving forward."

Browse this page to see lots of fan stories for how you fell in love with your club.

And check out those from other Premier League teams over here

Nottingham Forest are closing in on a deal to sign 27-year-old Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz from Juventus, who could make a move for Forest and Ivory Coast midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, 27. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian), external

However, Everton are also interested in Douglas Luiz and, like Forest, could look at a loan with an option or obligation to buy. (Mail), external

Ipswich are set to snub a £35m offer from Nottingham Forest for England Under-21 winger Omari Hutchinson, with Brentford also still interested in the 21-year-old. (David Ornstein of The Athletic), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

This week, we are asking you to share your stories and photos for why you fell in love with Nottingham Forest.

Here is a selection of your submissions:

Tony: It was January 1975 and Brian Clough arrived. I was a disgusted Derby supporter turned into a delighted Forest fan. The 30th May 1979? A honeymoon drive to Munich. Perfect!

Send us your pictures and stories here

Image source, Getty Images

Angus Gunn says he "can't wait to get going" after signing for Nottingham Forest as a free agent.

The 29-year-old Scotland goalkeeper has joined Forest one a one-year deal after departing hometown club Norwich City at the end of last season.

Gunn played in all his country's matches at Euro 2024 and made 35 appearances for the Canaries in the Championship across the 2024-25 campaign.

"I am really happy to be here," he told Forest's official website.

"This is a historic club on an exciting journey and I'm looking forward to being a part of it and getting to work.

"I'm joining a good group of keepers, and I believe my experience will add something to the team."