🌲 Nottingham Forest Owner and Coach Working Hard to Reinforce Squad and Avoid Relegation in 2025/26
🌲 Nottingham Forest Owner and Coach Working Hard to Reinforce Squad and Avoid Relegation in 2025/26
Nottingham Forest are back in survival mode this summer, with owner Evangelos Marinakis and head coach Nuno Espírito Santo working around the clock to reshape the squad and ensure the club’s Premier League status remains intact.
After narrowly avoiding relegation last season, Forest are determined to avoid another close call. The mission is clear: bring in better players, strengthen key areas, and build a team capable of climbing the table.
📉 A Wake-Up Call
The 2024/25 campaign exposed several weaknesses in Forest’s team—particularly in defence and consistency up front. Despite flashes of brilliance from the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi, the squad’s lack of depth and discipline saw them fighting for survival right until the final weeks of the season.
Nuno Espírito Santo, who took over midway through the 2023/24 season, is keen to put his stamp on the squad with a full pre-season and a new set of players tailored to his philosophy.
“We need players who fit our identity, who fight for the shirt, and who can raise the level,” Nuno told club media recently. “This is a big club and we must act like one.”
🛠️ Recruitment Focus: Where Forest Must Improve
Nottingham Forest have identified several priority positions that need urgent strengthening:
- A commanding centre-back – to bring leadership and reliability
- A deep-lying midfielder – to shield the back line and dictate tempo
- A clinical forward – to complement Awoniyi and increase goal output
- Backup goalkeeper – with Dean Henderson’s fitness still in question
With over 30 players used last season, Forest are now shifting from volume to quality-focused recruitment.
🔄 Transfer Market Activity
Reports indicate Forest are in talks for multiple targets, including:
- A Championship star midfielder with Premier League aspirations
- A Ligue 1 centre-back valued at around £12 million
- A Premier League winger available on a season-long loan
Forest are also said to be trimming the squad to create room for incomings, with fringe players and high-wage earners likely to be moved on.
💰 Evangelos Marinakis Backing the Vision
Owner Evangelos Marinakis has reiterated his commitment to supporting the manager but has also urged smarter business.
“We will continue to invest in the team, but we must do so wisely,” he said. “The goal is stability, then ambition.”
Marinakis wants Forest to be more than relegation survivors — but first, they must build a team capable of staying up comfortably.
🗣️ What the Fans Are Saying
Forest supporters remain some of the most loyal in the country, and after the emotional rollercoaster of the past two seasons, they’re calling for structure and ambition.
“No more scattergun signings,” wrote one fan online. “We need players that Nuno actually wants and can work with.”
“Build a proper squad and give us something to believe in again.”
🔭 Looking Ahead
The Premier League only gets tougher each year, and Forest are aware that early planning is the difference between mid-table security and a relegation scrap. With Nuno’s full pre-season and targeted signings, there is cautious optimism around the City Ground.
But talk is cheap — now it’s about execution.
✅ Final Word
Nottingham Forest are on a mission to avoid another tense finish at the wrong end of the table. With Evangelos Marinakis ready to fund improvements and Nuno Espírito Santo focused on building a more balanced, competitive squad, the groundwork is being laid for a better, more stable campaign.
Whether Forest rise or fall in 2025/26 may come down to what happens in this summer window.
