Nottingham Forest

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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Players like Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund are already suffering from hamstring injuries two weeks before the season even starts - and they say the modern preparation regimes are better, safer and more scientific!

They probably are better. At least the players do not have to go through some of the borderline sadistic routines that previous generations did. Back then, after a decent length of summer break, pre-season meant working incredibly hard over a short period of time to get yourself back in top condition fast.

Sprinting up and down gigantic sand dunes against the clock until many players were physically sick was de rigueur, alongside other road runs and track work.

Here is the weird part: I used to look forward to that, the way a class swot looks forward to exams. Being smaller, lighter and a committed long-distance runner all my young life, even before I became a pro footballer, it was, if not exactly a piece of cake, then certainly much easier for me than most of the rest of the team.

I have asked many modern managers what they would prefer to do in a perfect world during their pre-season. The most common answer is "just about anything other than what we are forced to do now!"

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Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O'Brien has joined Los Angeles FC on loan until December, with the Major League Soccer side having an option to make the move permanent.

O'Brien, 25, spent last season on loan at Championship club Middlesbrough and heads back to the USA after a previous loan spell with DC United in 2023.

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Pat Nevin, former Chelsea, Everton and Scotland winger writing in his Football Extra newsletter:

The pre-season friendlies are in full swing and let's be straight about this, the players generally hate these games, whatever they say.

They clearly haven't had enough rest in the summer, it is a grind getting your body back into peak shape, especially if the accumulated injuries from last season haven’t been allowed to fully recover.

The games themselves are weird affairs, where you would like to win but that is nowhere near the most important thing. Fitness, integrating new players, possibly a new manager and sometimes a new system are each more important. You also know full well that it is a hotch-potch of a team selection to give players minutes. The fans, mass media and social media will read far too much into every game and every performance.

From within the team itself, there are different motivations. A young or new player being given his first chance will be racing about like an overexcited spaniel. Other experienced players will be easing themselves back into it, the primary concern in their minds is to be fit and healthy come the first weekend of the Premier League season.

‌Deep down they don't worry if they get thumped by Celtic or DC United on their US tours, nobody at Chelsea or Aston Villa will remember or care about these results in two weeks' time.

‌Unless of course you are a DC or indeed Celtic fan. The Celts just beat Chelsea and Man City. Now that is impressive pre-season form or is that just Scottish bias.

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Nottingham Forest have announced midfielder Ryan Yates has committed his future to the club until 2028 with the option to extend for a further year.

Yates, 26, joined the Forest Academy at the age of eight and has made 203 appearances for the club.

He was named vice-captain ahead of the Reds' return to the Premier League in 2022 and has made 61 top-flight appearances.

"I'm absolutely buzzing and can't wait for the season to start now," Yates said. "Having been here for so long, I really understand what the club means to people who have worked here for many years, the supporters and just Nottingham in general.

"Every time I put the shirt on and wear the armband, I just look to reflect what this club is all about and what this city is all about."

Chief football officer Ross Wilson added: "It goes without saying that we are thrilled to have reached this agreement with Ryan.

"He’s someone our fans admire, and I know how much the club means to him.

"Our owner drives unity throughout the club and undoubtedly Ryan is a huge part of that togetherness. He will be crucial as we continue to strive forwards together."

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Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels says it is about "commitment" not structure when defending set pieces.

The 32-year-old joined the Reds on deadline day in February and went on to feature 16 times in the Premier League, conceding 27 goals.

Nearly a third of all Forest's goals conceded last season came from set pieces, with no team in the league letting in more than their 22.

"We tried to change the structure - man against man, zonal - in the end it is not about the structure it is about commitment," he told BBC East Midlands Today.

"I'm not saying that we didn't do it well last season but in the the end it was crazy, we always took a goal from the set piece.

"In football, set plays and set pieces are important. We need to improve this for next season. Last season every week we were working on it but we still conceded goals on it.

"There was not really something that we could do better, maybe just commitment, so maybe this season we won't concede that many more goals like that."

Despite becoming Nuno Espirito Santo's number one keeper last campaign, Sels will face competition for his position this season with the arrival of 6ft 8in Brazilian Carlos Miguel.

Asked who will be number one Sels said: "I don't know. I did my job last season. The coach will always decide.

"Matt Turner, Miguel, me, there is good competition between us and in the end it is important to have competition between keepers.

"We are good with each other and, most important, it is always [about] the team and the coach will decide. But I did my job last season so we will see what happens this season."

David Lockwood
BBC Sport Editorial Sustainability Lead

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Los Angeles or Chesterfield? San Diego or Salford?

The pre-season destinations of 20 Premier League clubs may be varied, but the issue remains the same - the impact of so many flights.

Half (10) of the clubs have flown to the United States for friendlies; three have travelled to the Far East and the rest are in Europe and the UK.

Manchester United's pre-season schedule see them flying almost 13,000 miles playing fixtures in Norway, Scotland, and across the US. Chelsea and Tottenham are also expected to fly in excess of 12,000 miles.

In contrast, Everton will fly the least, with just one fixture outside the UK in the Republic of Ireland.

Spurs and Newcastle also played an exhibition fixture in May - three days after the season finished - for which they both flew to Melbourne, Australia, a game Alan Shearer described as “madness”. Add in those air miles and both teams will have travelled in excess of 30,000 air miles in the close-season, equivalent to more than once around the globe, to play in non-competitive matches.

Newcastle and Spurs both have a target to be Net Zero by 2030, while Manchester United and Chelsea are in process of establishing an emissions reduction plan.

Net Zero requires the reduction and removal of all 'non-essential emissions' - so are these games essential?

Wycombe's David Wheeler is a leading sustainability campaigner in football and told BBC Sport: "These games are only necessary in the sense that the clubs want to make more money and grow their fan base".

He added: "The vast majority of players don't want to be away from their families, they don't want to be travelling around the world after a full slog of a season. They're overworked and injuries have gone through the roof, so there is a synergy between player welfare and planetary welfare."

An estimated travelling group of 30 flying 12,864 air miles business class generates around 200 tonnes of CO2 - the equivalent of 500,000 miles driven by an average petrol car, or the entire annual emissions for a year of 16 people in the UK.

Tottenham said it is "committed to minimising its environmental impact" in all its operations, "which will take time and effort". The club says it "ensures" all teams travel "as sustainably as possible throughout the season". It "measures, manages and reports on travel emissions" and will offsets "where possible."

Read more about the Premier League's pre-season air miles here

We asked for your views on Nottingham Forest's 1-0 friendly defeat to Elche.

Coxsy got in touch and said: I think Nuno must be hammering the point to the chairman about needing a new striker and winger.

Playing Ui-jo, Dennis and Bowler upfront doesn't give me much hope for the season if we get a few injuries. Big mention for Sangare and Dominguez as a midfield two - they've been stand-out players. That said, I am not liking the 3-4-3 system.

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Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood spoke to the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast about manager Nuno Espirito Santo, who is entering his first full season at the club:

"I think a full pre-season really helps for a manager to get his ideas across and that's why he was keen to have everyone here for the full six weeks.

"It's never going to be easy when you're trying to learn something different. We're halfway through pre-season now so we've still got time to get comfortable with it. It's going in the right direction."

On the Forest squad, Wood added: "At the moment it's more settled. You've got to keep the group together and you want to work with a number that you're used to. The turnover of players makes it hard to get consistency, so if we can keep the core group and keep ticking over together, I think it will be great step forward."

On new signing Nikola Milenkovic, Wood said: "He's a big lad and he's got some good feet, we're lucky to have him. He's shown what he's about so it will be interesting to see him more in games. I think the four singings we've made have been very astute."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Simon Stone in Los Angeles
Chief football news reporter

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Nottingham Forest midfielder Lewis O’Brien is on the brink of returning to Major League Soccer on loan with LAFC.

O’Brien spent the first half of the 2023 MLS campaign with DC United after a proposed deadline day move to Blackburn fell through and there was no room in Forest’s first-team squad.

The 25-year-old former Huddersfield man spent last term at Middlesbrough.

However, as he is not part of new Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans either, O’Brien has taken up the option of another stint in MLS and sources confirmed O’Brien has flown to the United States to complete the move.

LAFC are currently second behind city rivals LA Galaxy in the western conference of MLS and are looking to secure a second title in three years.

What did you make of the Reds' latest pre-season game?

Let us know your thoughts on the match here, external

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Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga says the "sky is the limit" and only he can stop himself from getting to where he wants to be.

The 22-year-old joined the Reds from Manchester United in July 2023 and played 39 games in all competitions, scoring five goals and providing nine assists.

"It's all about learning. Trying to find the 1% to try to improve and get better," he told BBC East Midlands Today. "I've always said I'm not the finished article, I can always improve and get better.

"This is why I'm grateful to be here at Nottingham Forest because it gives me the opportunity to grow as a player and a person. I have fantastic players and staff to help me grow and now it is up to me.

"It is me against me and the only person that will stop me from going where I want to go is myself. If I can continue to listen and work hard then the sky is the limit."

The Sweden international, who came through the United academy, was a key player in Nuno Espirito Santo's side as they avoided regulation, but now hopes to take his game to another level this campaign.

"I can get faster, I can score more goals, I can set up more goals," Elanga added.

"I've got to remember last season was my first season playing over 36 games. I feel like I needed that so I can then build up for the new season knowing I'm ready and can play 36 games a season.

"I feel more experienced and more involved. This season will be different. I've taken what I've learned from last season and tweaked my game a bit more so I can be even better this season."

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Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood says he wants to "score more" and has the "belief" in himself to do so.

The 32-year-old scored 14 Premier League goals in 31 games last season to help the Reds avoid relegation.

It was as many goals as he had scored in the league since the 2019-20 campaign with Burnley.

"I view it as a positive season personally and a positive season as a team as well because we stayed up again," Wood told BBC East Midlands Today.

"Second season syndrome is very tough - it happens to a lot of teams. They stay up the first season and then they go down the next so to get over that hurdle is big.

"It's good for the club and now gives us a desire to push on and do better. I want to do more as a player and as a striker. I want to score more. I want to get into 20 goals and get as high up as possible, both for the goal tally and the team in general."

The New Zealand international found his form again having struggled during his 12 months with Newcastle United, who he joined for £25m in January 2022 and where he scored just five goals in 39 games.

"I know in myself if I play enough games I will score a good number of goals," Wood added.

"I have that belief in myself and I believe my team-mates have that belief in me. It is about just finding a situation that works well.

"Having the belief of the manager that comes in is important and Nuno gave me a lot of responsibility to go out and score. It was something I wanted and thrived on and I hope I repaid him in that sense."

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On the latest episode of the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast, BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray discusses academy graduate Ryan Yates, who has signed a new deal at the club:

"It's nice to have if you've got it [being an academy graduate], but you've obviously got to have the ability and talent. There's no room for sentiment and you don't have those players in just for the sake it. You've got to be able to deliver on the pitch.

"It's a bonus to have someone like him so connected with the club. He's a fantastic role model for any player coming through the Forest academy.

"For those young players looking up and seeing Yates as a captain in the Premier League, that has to be inspiring. Just the fact that the academy is capable of producing players like that has to give a real boost to the young players inside.

"The fact he's a local boy as well and come right through, he has that close connection with everything to do with the club, that's a real bonus. "

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

We asked for your views on the news that Ryan Yates has signed a new four-year contract with the club.

Here are some of your comments:

Jason: So pleased. Love Yatesy - he's Forest through and through and has such a great, positive attitude. He does all the little important things well, gets stuck in and gives 101% every game and is such a great guy as well. Proper role model. Well done, Yatesy! COYR!

Kris: Yates divides opinion with fans. Some idolise him and others point to a lack of end product and limited technical ability. What you do get is high energy, constant running and willingness to do the dirty work. For me, he's a starter and a worthy captain, despite the limitations. He breaks up play, frustrates opponents and lives and breathes NFFC.

Dave: Not overly impressed with this contract extension. Assume the contract is for circa £40K a week and, in my opinion, he simply isn't worth it. Yes he's a grafter and probably a solid Championship player - but not what we need. Just hope the contract includes a clause about playing the ball forward every now and then...

Ian: Absolutely delighted that we have rewarded Yates with a new deal. He totally wears the shirt with pride, always gives 100% and is a great example to the club. Brilliant.

Callum: Signing Yates to a new four-year deal is great foundations for the next four years. I know this lad will be a club captain even though he may begin to fade from being in the starting XI regularly. Yatesy brings so much to the game in midfield.

Gary: Nowhere near Premier League standard. Can't understand how he is ever in the starting XI, let alone skipper. Four more years of nothingness to look forward to.

The latest episode of the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast by BBC Radio Nottingham has landed.

David Jackson and Colin Fray discuss Ryan Yates' new contract and the club's pre-season training camp in Spain. And Charlie Slater speaks to striker Chris Wood about Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Nottingham Forest have rejected a West Ham bid for full-back Neco Williams. (HITC), external

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

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Nottingham Forest midfielder Ryan Yates has put pen to paper on a new four-year contract at the City Ground.

The academy graduate's previous deal was set to expire next summer, but he has now agreed terms with the club until June 2028.

Yates has made 203 senior appearances for the Reds - scoring 18 goals and registering nine assists since making his first-team debut in January 2019.

The 26-year-old was a key figure in Forest's promotion to the Premier League in 2021-2022 and he has continued to be a regular in the top-flight.

Are you happy Yates has extend his stay, Forest fans? Where do you think he will fit into Nuno's plans?

Let us know your thoughts here, external

Nottingham Forest have held talks with Argentine club Talleres about the possibility of signing 24-year-old Paraguay winger Ramon Sosa. (Nottingham Post), external

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

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Nottingham Forest's pre-season friendly against Elche has been moved from Saturday 27 July to Friday 26.

Kick-off at Pinatar Arena is 19:00 BST.

The club will issue a full refund to any supporters who can no longer attend the match.

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

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It isn't quiet in one specific part of the major football clubs - the acquisitions department.

I know that because I was once the acquisitions department - well me and the manager mostly. While each player returned from holidays like a bronzed Adonis, we were cooped up in a small darkened room, beavering the daylight hours away like vampires.

There is plenty of guesswork in the media and a fair bit of leaking from the players and their people, but the clubs usually try to keep their transfer moves as quiet as possible.

If word gets out that a player is available, they know they might lose him to another club or else the price will increase as a bidding war erupts.

‌These are high stakes games and many are impressed by those who gamble and go early.

Manchester City have always been good enough, and let's be honest wealthy enough, to be able to do this well.

The problem is that some clubs are trying to do the same thing and are ending up paying top dollar for less able players, because they haven't done their due diligence in the market.

This is another area where the use of data, or maybe over-reliance on pure data, comes into play - feed all of the numbers in, let the technology do the crunching, and out comes the answer.

The problem is that everyone else has got the same or similar data.

What is needed, of course, is good human knowledge and the vision to aid the use of the information they have got. This is why these departments should be busy just now, they shouldn't just be doing deals which are admittedly very complex legal and financial documents these days.

Even more time should be spent on ensuring the new £75m player hasn't got a hidden weakness in his game or even the odd skeleton in his closet.

Pat Nevin was writing for the BBC Football Extra Newsletter

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Nottingham Forest have acted fast in the summer transfer window, bringing in five new additions for the 2024-25 season, but Nuno Espirito Santo has revealed the Reds could still make some more signings before deadline day.

Speaking to BBC Radio Nottingham, the Forest boss said: "We have some players but the squad is not closed yet.

"We still have aspects to decide. We are working with players who came back from their loans, so we have to have a good look at them and make the right decisions for them.

"It was more important that we were able to keep our [best] players, so I'm really happy that we - as a club - are keeping our most important players.

"After the work of last season, I believe that this is what's going to give us that improvement through to this season."

On needing to sell players before that 30 June 'profit and sustainability deadline', Nuno insisted: "The club did well. We don't have to worry about that issue any more."

BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray believes supporters should not be worrying about another points deduction after Nuno's comments.

"That is the first real public statement that we have had from Forest since 30 June," he said on the Shut Up And Show More Football podcast.

"We have been talking about how there seems to be a confidence around the club that they have done enough and that it won't be an issue this year like it was last year. Now we have it [confirmation] from Nuno himself."

Listen to the latest Shut Up And Show More Football podcast on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your views on Nottingham Forest's 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Friday.

Here are some of your responses:

Carlton: A decent workout and plenty of attacking intent on display. We really do need a dynamic striker, though. It has been our Achilles heel for the past couple of seasons and still is.

Andrea: Lots of one-touch passing down the left-hand side between Aina, Dominguez, Danilo, Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi, giving Forest most of the possession in the first half and enabling them to create some good chances. Anderson looked at home in the second half.

Kris: Sangare looked solid again and it was great to see Richards on the scoresheet after a nightmare start to his Forest career. We are clearly short of strikers, though, and hopefully we will see another quality addition in that position before the season starts.