Merry Christmas Nottingham Forest fans, one look at the Premier League table is as good as any present you could receive this year.
Forest found themselves in the top four in the Premier League table on Christmas Day this year, a stark contrast to the struggles that Nuno Espirito Santo adopted in 2023.
The Forest manager guided the club to Premier League safety in the 23/24 season and has taken the footballing world by surprise with a remarkable start to the 24/25 campaign.
Statement away victories such as Forest’s win against Liverpool have seen Forest fans elated going into the festive season, but football fans will always be looking for more so here are three Christmas wishes that fans will be hoping to see come true at the City Ground this year.
Nikola Milenkovic of Nottingham Forest celebrates victory during the Premier League match between Brentford and Nottingham Forest at the Gtech Comm...
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A continuation of Forest’s excellent recruitment
This year has seen Evangelos Marinakis begin to truly nail his recruitment policy at Forest. Matz Sels joined Forest in January to provide the squad with a reliable goalkeeper in their bid for survival but the most impressive deals came in the summer window.
Nikola Milenkovic signed from Fiorentina in July and has become an indispensable member of Espirito Santo’s side, whilst Elliot Anderson signed from Newcastle to become a key cog in the Forest midfield.
Ahead of January, Forest have been linked with Raul Moro of Real Valladolid, someone who may not be well known to Forest fans but a deal that should be trusted given the Forest’s owner’s impeccable transfer record in 2024.
To keep hold of star defender Murillo
An earlier sign of 2024’s recruitment success was the summer 2023 signing of Murillo, a young Brazillian centre-back who has caught the headlines since his move to the City Ground.
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Murillo joined Forest from Corinthians in what has been his first taste of European football, a step which he has taken with incredible ease.
Forming a brilliant partnership with Milenkovic this season, pundits such as Alan Shearer have praised Murillo, which has led to the centre-back attracting interest from Europe’s elite.
Real Madrid were spotted scouting Murillo in November, with Forest fans will be hoping was a one-off as they look to keep hold of their prized asset in the new year.
Above all else, Forest fans will be dreaming of the return of European football at the City Ground for the first time since the 1995/96 UEFA Cup season.
Espirito Santo was asked about Forest’s European chances and remained cautious with his response, but Forest fans will be hoping that the Portuguese coach can deliver what would be one of the most remarkable achievements in recent Forest history.
Forest have always been synonymous with European football after the legendary Brian Clough delivered two European Cup trophies for the club in the late 70s. Forest fans won’t quite be demanding a repeat of that feat, but a return to continental competition would be a special moment.
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