Many of Nottingham Forest’s key figures are meeting in Athens this week to discuss the events of an eventful season — and to plot what comes next.
The same thing happens every summer, as Evangelos Marinakis gathers the club hierarchy for a debrief.
Vitor Pereira, the head coach, believes he inherited a squad that is capable of far more than the 16th-placed finish that they achieved following a timely revival in form that he inspired following his appointment in February.
As those talks continue in Greece, what is the summer likely to look like at the City Ground?
The information found within this article has been gathered according to The Athletic’s sourcing guidelines. Sources with knowledge of transfer dealings, who asked to be kept anonymous to protect relationships, have been spoken to before offering the clubs involved the opportunity to comment.
Who will make the key decisions during this window?
Global technical director George Syrianos, head of recruitment Pedro Ferreira, owner Marinakis and head coach Pereira will all have a say in recruitment.
There will be a collaborative approach. Pereira has told the club where he would like to strengthen, the recruitment team’s responsibility is to draw up the list of targets and then Pereira will have a say on which of those targets Forest pursue ahead of others.
Forest do not currently plan to fill the void left by the departure of chief football officer Ross Wilson last Autumn, with Syrianos having effectively taken on many of his responsibilities since he joined Newcastle.
Although the departure of head of football development Craig Mulholland, who has joined the Scottish FA — which will be added to by the expected impending departure of global head of football Edu — might prompt some restructuring.
Vitor Pereira will have a say in transfers (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
What is the manager’s priority?
To keep the core of the players he has together. Pereira believes Forest have more than solid foundations on which to build and that they underachieved last season.
He wants to add three or four signings, but feels minor tweaks, rather than wholesale changes, will be required.
Pereira wants to build around players like Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White, Nikola Milenkovic, Ola Aina, Ibrahim Sangare, Chris Wood and Igor Jesus.
Pereira is also keen to see the club get the majority of their business done before the pre-season training camp in Portugal. Echoing the sentiments of the man who started last season in charge, Nuno Espirito Santo, Pereira wants to work with his strongest starting XI throughout pre-season.
Who will they be looking to sell?
They are not actively looking to sell Elliot Anderson, but there is a reluctant acceptance that he is likely to depart in the coming weeks, possibly even before the World Cup. But if they do accept an offer for the midfielder — who Marinakis believes is worth upwards of £110million — it would mean the club would not need to sell their other prize assets.
Forest are intent on holding on to regular captain Gibbs-White, Murillo — who recently signed a new contract that runs until 2030 — Sangare, Williams — who is in negotiations over a new deal — and their other big hitters. A few fringe players could depart.
Forest have historically sold well, attracting good fees for players like Anthony Elanga (£52m, Newcastle), Danilo (£21m, Botafogo) and Moussa Niakhate (£27m, Lyon) in the last two years. If Anderson is sold, Marinakis will push hard for the highest possible fee for a player who ticks a number of important boxes as a homegrown English talent.
Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White have been key for Forest (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
What positions will they be looking at in the summer window?
The priority will be to sign a replacement for Anderson, if he leaves.
Otherwise, Pereira’s desire is to have at least two quality options in every position. Forest do not have to contend with the additional demands of European football, but the desire at the club, as outlined by Igor Jesus in The Athletic recently, is to again challenge for trophies.
Forest also want to add another forward option to their ranks, with Lorenzo Lucca set to return to Napoli following his loan spell. Forest will not activate their option to sign the Italian permanently, after seeing him make one start and three substitute appearances in the Premier League, scoring once.
Pereira and his coaching staff see Wood as a key figure, because of his wealth of experience and understanding of the Premier League. Forest regard him as somebody who can continue to be a vital asset. But he will also be 35 in December and has a knee issue that will need to be monitored.
Forest may also have to strengthen in the goalkeeper position. Stefan Ortega’s short-term deal expires in June and Forest can no longer offer the carrot of European football to keep the former Manchester City player. Back-up Angus Gunn, the Scottish international, is also out of contract this summer. John Victor, the Brazilian stopper, is fit again following the serious knee injury he sustained in January but did not always impress in the nine appearances he made before being sidelined.
Are there any specific players they are targeting?
Again, Anderson’s future is pivotal to their most important business.
Forest tried to sign Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney in January, though they are not really in the mix to sign him this summer as a potential replacement.
The 23-year-old academy product has one year left to run on his Middlesbrough contract and their defeat by Hull City in the play-off final means they cannot offer him top-flight football. As my colleague David Ornstein is reporting this morning, his preference is to join Everton.
Hackney was not the only midfielder Forest looked at in January. Forest held unsuccessful talks over Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi and, on deadline day, also offered around £22m for Celtic’s Arne Engels.
Will anyone be earmarked for a loan away?
There is a feeling at Forest that New Zealand international Tyler Bindon benefited from his loan spell at Sheffield United and, if the right opportunity arises, the club will give thought to allowing him to gain more first-team experience elsewhere.
Jota Silva will also return from his loan spell at Besiktas and Forest will look to secure another move for the Portuguese winger, whether that be on loan or something more permanent.
What sort of budget do they have and what is their SCR position?
The major sales Forest made last summer — and most specifically Elanga’s £52m sale — will be included in the most recent time period by which SCR will be assessed.
Forest, particularly if any deal for Anderson goes through before the end of the month, will have plenty of wriggle room, financially.
Marinakis has historically injected the profits from previous player sales into the transfer budget for new signings. Forest do not plan a repeat of last summer’s £200m, 13-player recruitment drive. But there will be money to spend.
