While Liverpool’s £415m spending spree has dominated headlines, it is Nottingham Forest who emerge as the real winners of the summer transfer window. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side quietly pieced together one of the most complete squad rebuilds in the Premier League, strengthening in key areas while keeping the core of last season’s overachieving team intact.
Smart business across the pitch
Forest signed 13 new players, balancing immediate impact with long-term planning. Igor Jesus, Arnaud Kalimuendo and John Victor arrived to gradually replace ageing forwards, while Dan Ndoye hit the ground running with a goal and assist on debut to ease the loss of Anthony Elanga.
The club also invested heavily in attacking depth, adding Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee and Dilane Bakwa for around £100m combined. In midfield, Ibrahim Sangare and Douglas Luiz provide steel and versatility, while at the back, Jair Cunha and Cuiabano bolster defensive options. The late-window additions of Nicolo Savona and Oleksandr Zinchenko further underlined the ambition to compete on two fronts.
Continuity at the core
Perhaps the biggest win of the window was keeping hold of their key men. Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Neco Williams, Matz Sels and Ola Aina all signed contract extensions, while the centre-back partnership of Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo remains untouched.
Even veterans like Chris Wood have shown there’s plenty left in the tank, with the Kiwi striker already finding the net twice this season.
Built for Europe
With a Europa League campaign to navigate, Forest’s squad depth is stronger than ever. From the training ground to the boardroom, the recruitment drive looks designed not just to survive, but to thrive.
While Liverpool’s record deals and Arsenal’s fine-tuning grab the spotlight, it is Nottingham Forest who may look back on this summer as the turning point. With quality, depth and continuity, they have positioned themselves for another groundbreaking season – at home and abroad.
