Latest Nottingham Forest news as FFP deadline nears for Nuno Espirito Santo’s Reds in key summer transfer window
The date of June 30 has long been seen as an important one for Nottingham Forest, and it is fast approaching.
The end of the month marks the cut-off point for the next Profitability and Sustainability Rules assessment period. The Reds are well aware of the consequences for breaching the regulations, having been docked four points last season for doing so.
They do not want a repeat of that scenario in 2024/25. Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo spoke earlier in the year about lessons needing to be learned over ensuring the books are balanced.
The sale of Moussa Niakhate to Lyon comes with that in mind. Things have moved quickly regarding his switch to France, no doubt with the impending PSR deadline acting as a means to gee it along.
The defender signed for Forest from Mainz for roughly £13 million two years ago. His deal at the City Ground had just another year to run – albeit the club had an option to extend it by a further 12 months – so cashing in at this point makes financial sense.
Getting a deal done by June 30 will have been a priority. Doing so is likely to have a knock-on effect where Murillo, in particular, is concerned.
The Brazilian has no shortage of suitors, and Chelsea and Juventus have already made their interest clear. Niakhate’s sale should ease any pressure over potentially having to consider a cut-price deal for Murillo to raise funds before the PSR deadline.
According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the deal for Niakhate to go to France was “sealed directly” between the two club’s presidents (in Forest’s case Evangelos Marinakis) at a fee of £20m – although there has been some discrepancy on the price tag amid various reports. Foot Mercato report Crystal Palace and Lille were also keen on the centre-back, only to lose out in the battle for his signature.
Orel Mangala might well have had a hand in how events transpired. Foot Mercato explain it was on the “good advice” of his one-time Forest teammate that Niakhate opted for Lyon.
Mangala spent the second half of last term on loan at the Ligue 1 outfit. His move there is close to becoming a permanent one.
The Telegraph say the sales of Niakhate and Mangala “should be enough” for the Reds to avoid another PSR breach. It had been said the club needed to raise roughly £20m profit before the end of this month to comply with their permitted losses.
Further exits will follow in the coming weeks, but it might be that some of those happen further down the line. If anyone was anticipating a mass clearout before the end of June for Forest to comply with PSR, that seems unlikely now.
Selling academy graduate Joe Worrall, for example, would class as 100 percent pure profit where PSR is concerned. But Niakhate’s departure should ease the pressure somewhat when it comes to looking to move players on.
Worrall is still expected to leave this summer. Sheffield United have been keen but the fact the club’s prospective takeover is still in flux makes it unlikely any interest will be followed up until there is clarity on that front.
Goalkeepers Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos could also go, with Carlos Miguel expected to sign from Corinthians amid a reshuffle between the posts. Turner is said to have had interest from the MLS.
Forest will hope to move others on, too – either on loans or on permanent deals – as trimming numbers is a priority this summer. The likes of Emmanuel Dennis, Josh Bowler, Hwang Ui-jo, Alex Mighten, Jonathan Panzo and Lewis O’Brien have returned from loan spells but face uncertain futures at the City Ground.
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