Nottingham Forest are preparing for their first campaign back in European competition since 1996, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s side marking themselves out as last season’s surprise Premier League package.
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Forest were serious contenders to qualify for the Champions League for a large portion of 2024/2025, but they fell just short on a dramatic final day which eventually saw Newcastle United and Chelsea pip them to a place in the top five.
Aston Villa took the final Europa League spot in sixth, meaning Forest ultimately had to settle for a place in the Conference League, and the far less lucrative prize pool.
In any case, Forest certainly weren’t initially tipped to qualify for Europe and end their near-two-decade-long wait to compete outside English shores, so we can safely call last term an undoubted success for Nuno.
It is now the task of Evangelos Marinakis and the Forest board to build upon their excellent campaign in the transfer market, with Forest also under less PSR pressure than this time last year after earning an extra £32.4 million in Premier League prize money.
Their seventh-placed finish and place in Europe means Forest could “fall a decent way short” of the £85 million they’re permitted to lose this financial year without breaching PSR (The Athletic), meaning Nuno’s side have more wiggle room to spend on summer recruitment.
Forest could still be forced to sell star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, considering the England international has just two years remaining on his contract, and he’s shown zero indication that he’s willing to pen an extension at the City Ground (The Mail).
Gibbs-White’s potential sale, combined with both their league and European earnings, looks likely to fund Forest’s summer transfer window as they gear up for a crucial 2025/2026 campaign.
“Nottingham Forest will look to strengthen,” said ex-Premier League chief scout Mick Brown to Football Insider this week.
“Their recruitment has been excellent recently, and they’re able to bring players into an environment where they all work together for the club.”
Forest are targeting new forwards to complement Nuno’s squad and back the Portuguese with more firepower, as they look to compete on multiple fronts, with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović a serious option for them.
Nottingham Forest hold talks with Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović
The Serbia international is out of contract next summer as things stand, and if the Old Lady cannot agree to extend their talisman’s deal, he could be allowed to leave for as little as £26 million.
That is according to journalist Rudy Galetti, who also told TEAMtalk this week that Forest have contacted Vlahovic’s representatives for discussions in an effort to tempt the centre-forward with a Premier League switch.
The Tricky Trees are described as favourites to sign Vlahovic, who is very keen on a move to England. Despite interest from Serie A heavyweights AC Milan, Forest stands out as the most “concrete” option for him.
Called a “superstar” striker by members of the Italian media, Vlahovic has hit double figures in every single season since 2020/2021, across spells at both Juve and Fiorentina.
The 25-year-old, who won Serbia’s Footballer of the Year award in 2024, would be a bold statement of intent from Forest, but his reported £200,000-per-week wage demands prove a major obstacle.
