Nottingham Forest have been given the all-clear to sign a brilliant midfield target just as West Ham deliver their latest frustrating update.
While West Ham have been using PSR as an excuse as to why they aren’t spending so far this summer transfer window, Nottingham Forest’s ambitious owners have left no stone unturned finding loopholes around them.
The Hammers dropped a bombshell that £100m plus losses are coming in their next accounts in December.
West Ham are in no imminent danger of a PSR breach on Monday – but insist there is little wiggle room to buy players unless sales are made.
West Ham and Forest owners take very different approach to PSR
Meanwhile Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis converted a further £82 million worth of loans into shares earlier this year, to reduce the club’s debt.
The move, along with a previous conversion of £72 million, not only demonstrates Marinakis’s commitment to Forest but also strengthened the club’s financial position in terms of PSR.
Earlier this week it was revealed West Ham’s owners can inject £90m into the club for transfers this summer – if they want to.
But as far as the Hammers hierarchy are concerned, it will only be if they need to.
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo embraces Graham Potter, manager of West Ham United, during the Premier League match between the Hammers and Forest at the London Stadium on May 18, 2025
Photo by Jon Hobley | MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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West Ham fans are furious at their situation.
And the mood around the club isn’t being helped by the ambition being shown – and business being done – by some of their Premier League rivals.
Graham Potter promised an “exciting and interesting” summer window.
The Englishman also said he would “ideally” like to work with his new signings during pre-season.
A week out from West Ham’s return to training, though, none have arrived.
Midfield is a major priority for the Hammers and Nottingham Forest this summer.
The two clubs have been circling the same player, but it now looks like Forest may have stolen a march in the race.
Forest get green light to sign brilliant star ahead of West Ham
West Ham have already reportedly missed out on exciting attacking midfield star Habib Diarra to Sunderland.
Another target, Ardon Jashari, is joining AC Milan.
That deal actually opened the door for the Hammers to sign a Milan player they have wanted for two years.
West Ham have reportedly been in talks with the San Siro giants over a £20m move for their USA midfield ace Yunus Musah.
It was claimed recently AC Milan offered Musah to the Hammers as they too look to overhaul their midfield.
The Rossoneri beat the Irons to the 22-year-old when he was at Valencia.
Powerhouse midfielder Yunus Musah during AC Milan v Monza in Serie A
Photo by Giuseppe Cottini/AC Milan via Getty Images
An athletic, dynamic midfielder with very similar attributes to Declan Rice, it is easy to see why the Hammers might want Musah.
But now Nottingham Forest have been given the green light to sign the brilliant midfielder as West Ham make a frustrating claim.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Tricky Trees have now made contact with Milan as they look to bring Musah to the Premier League.
That’s according to a host of outlets in Italy including leading sports paper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
They claim Forest have lodged an official enquiry to sign Musah ahead of the likes of the Hammers and Wolves.
It comes amid the latest infuriating transfer claim from the corridors of power at West Ham.
Hammers make infuriating new claim about Musah links
Because ExWHUemployee claims a leading club source has told him that while Musah was scouted, he is not actually on West Ham’s target list.
In that case the path really is well and truly clear for Forest to take another top young central midfielder off the market.
If Musah isn’t on Potter and head of recruitment Kyle Macaulay’s list then West Ham fans must accept that if they back the manager.
But the real question should be – why isn’t he?
All is not lost for West Ham, though.
The club’s prime midfield target Raphael Onyedika remains available at around £17.5m – as he is in the last year of his Club Brugge contract.
How much longer that will be the case with the likes of Spurs sniffing is anyone’s guess.