Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has publicly called for the club to make further additions to their squad before the closure of the transfer window. His plea underscores concerns about the team's ability to compete effectively across multiple competitions in the upcoming season. Nuno's statement comes amidst reports of internal tensions and a flurry of recent signings, adding complexity to the situation at the City Ground.
Forest have been active in the transfer market, securing four new players in recent weeks. James McAtee, Douglas Luiz, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Omari Hutchinson (a club-record acquisition) have all joined the ranks. These additions follow earlier signings of Dan Ndoye, Angus Gunn, Jair Cunha, and Igor Jesus, indicating a significant overhaul of the squad. Furthermore, the club is reportedly pursuing a deal with Strasbourg for winger Dilane Bakwa.
Despite the influx of new faces, Nuno believes more reinforcements are necessary to ensure the squad can cope with the demands of the Premier League, Europa League, Carabao Cup, and FA Cup. The manager emphasizes the need to provide adequate support to the existing players, who achieved "something fantastic" last season. Without sufficient depth and quality, Nuno fears the team's progress could be undermined.
"There are things that I myself cannot control. What I said is, and I had a long thought about it, is my concern for the squad," Nuno stated. "These boys last season achieved something fantastic. If we as a club don’t help them in terms of numbers, in terms of quality and talent, everything will go."
He further elaborated on the challenges ahead, highlighting the congested fixture schedule. "So we have ahead of us the Premier League, Europa League, Carabao Cup and FA Cup. You know how many games this means for us. This is the respect that we have to show to our squad. Help them."
Nuno's concerns extend beyond mere squad size. He also alluded to the importance of maintaining a high level of quality and talent within the team. The Premier League is renowned for its competitiveness, and success in European competitions requires a deep and capable squad. Nuno clearly believes that further investment is crucial to achieving the club's ambitions.
The timing of Nuno's comments is noteworthy, given recent speculation about his future at Nottingham Forest. Reports have suggested a strained relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis and disagreements with global head of football Edu Gaspar. These internal tensions add another layer of intrigue to the situation and raise questions about the club's overall direction. Nuno confirmed he will hold talks with Edu and Marinakis this week.
Forest's transfer activity will be closely monitored in the remaining days of the window. Whether the club will heed Nuno's call for more signings remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the manager is determined to build a squad capable of competing on all fronts, and he believes further investment is essential to achieving that goal.
The club's supporters will be hoping that the internal issues can be resolved swiftly and that the team can focus on preparing for the upcoming season. With a challenging fixture list ahead, a united front and a well-equipped squad will be vital to Nottingham Forest's success.
