Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espírito Santo has the opportunity to make his mark on the squad this summer for the first time since his arrival at the club back in December.
The former Wolves manager replaced Steve Cooper halfway through the campaign, unable to fully implement his system across to the players, but showing glimpses of promise towards the end of the season.
He was heavily reliant on striker Chris Wood to do the business for the Reds, with the New Zealand international scoring 14 Premier League goals – proving a lot of doubters wrong in the process.
However, with the new season just over a month away now, the Reds boss will still want to invest further into his playing squad to pull further clear of the drop zone in 2024/25.
Nottingham Forest’s transfer business this summer
Forest are no stranger to a transfer or two, making over 30 new additions to the squad since promotion back to the Premier League back in the 2021/22 season.
Nuno has wasted no time in further adding to his squad this summer, signing the likes of goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, young winger Eric da Silva Moreira and Newcastle star Elliot Anderson, with the latter costing £35m with Odysseas Vlachodimos going in the other direction.
However, to avoid another PSR breach this season, the club have had to balance the books by parting ways with two important squad members.
Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate both left the City Ground to join French side Lyon, with the pair leaving the club for £20m and £27m respectively.
Whilst they’ve undoubtedly left a hole in Nuno’s squad, the club’s recent recruitment has provided hope that they can identify a suitable replacement to further improve the Reds squad.
Their excellent recruitment can be demonstrated by multiple players within the Forest first-team, including one talent who’s already proven to be value for money, with his market value taking a huge increase as a result.
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s market value in 2024
After arriving at the club from Chelsea during the summer of 2023, winger Callum Hudson-Odoi looked as though he would be a shrewd addition to the club after joining the Reds for a deal in the region of £3m last summer.
He made an instant impact on his first appearance for the Reds, scoring a goal-of-the-season contender against Vincent Kompany's Burnley side to secure a vital point for his new team.
However, fast forward to nearly a year on from his move to Trentside, he’s excelled in his first campaign in the East Midlands, scoring eight and providing one assist in his 29 outings for the club.
Games played
29
Goals
8
Assists
1
Pass accuracy
85%
Chances created
36
Dribbles completed
43
Dribble success rate
61%
His form has seen strong interest from fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, with the Reds valuing Hudson-Odoi at £40m – an increase of 1,230% from the fee they paid for him less than 12 months ago.
He’s been an excellent addition to the club, becoming a crucial player under Nuno towards the tail end of the campaign – scoring three goals in the final three matches of the season.
Next season provides a fresh opportunity for the 23-year-old to build on the progress he’s made in recent months, potentially seeing his market value increase further.
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