West Ham got one over on Nottingham Forest in the transfer market last week and then beat them at the City Ground 3-0 to rub salt in the wound but now they’ve exacted a crushing revenge.
Fabrizio Romano did not get much right yet again when it came to West Ham in the summer window but a post window claim from Nottingham Forest is accurate.
The Hammers and Tricky Trees went head-to-head for a host of players over the summer.
Most of them ended up at Nottingham Forest with Igor Jesus, John Victor, James McAtee, Omari Hutchinson and Douglas Luiz all linked with West Ham too.
The Hammers also wanted Nottingham Forest midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.
Forest actually beat West Ham to Sangare when the Hammers were looking for replacements for Declan Rice.
Romano reveals Forest’s secret revenge on West Ham
West Ham chief David Sullivan made a loan offer to Forest with obligation to buy Sangare if he played 25 games.
Meanwhile the Irons and Tricky Trees were involved in a battle to try and sign France Under 21 defensive midfield star Soungoutou Magassa from Monaco.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
Nottingham Forest chief Evangelos Marinakis tried using dark arts on West Ham in order to beat them to Magassa.
Essentially Marinakis told Sullivan he would allow West Ham to sign Sangare if he stood aside on the Magassa deal.
New West Ham United signing Soungoutou Magassa posing for AS Monaco Portraits - UEFA Champions League 2025/26
Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
And the Greek twice pushed hard to try and lure Magassa to Nottingham instead of the London Stadium when there was a technical issue with the 21-year-old’s Hammers medical.
The Hammers had no intention of giving Magassa up without a fight and it was clear Sullivan had won this particular tussle when Forest made public they had rejected West Ham’s move for Sangare.
Magassa wasn’t registered in time for the Premier League clash between the two clubs.
But he wasn’t needed as another new boy, Mateus Fernandes, starred alongside the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville to seal a morale-boosting 3-0 win.
It was the first defeat by three goals or more Forest have suffered at home in 25 years.
Now Romano has revealed Nottingham Forest’s crushing secret revenge on West Ham.
And it has left the Hammers reeling after a move went completely under the radar amid the deadline day chaos.
Forest vengeance on Hammers for Magassa and big defeat
West Ham fans are fiercely proud of their Academy roots.
Indeed West Ham are the self-styled Academy of Football having produced a host of top players for club and country down the years.
Too many rising young talents have been leaving the club feeling there is no proper pathway to the first team in recent years, though.
When Graham Potter came in he vowed to change that.
He has used some Academy players in his eight months at the helm including Ollie Scarles, Freddie Potts, Lewis Orford and Preston Fearon.
But as is often the case with West Ham managers, the use of young Academy stars has faded as pressure has risen on West Ham’s results.
West Ham have lost the likes of Divin Mubama, Divine Mukasa, Ayden Heaven and many others to rival Premier League clubs.
West Ham Academy star Chinaza Nwosu shines for England youth teams and is now joining Nottingham Forest
Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos – The FA/The FA via Getty Images
Now arguably the biggest talent on West Ham’s books has left for Nottingham Forest, Romano has confirmed.
The brilliant 17-year-old talent Chinaza Nwosu was being chased by a host of top clubs.
But West Ham looked to have fended off interest from elsewhere when Nwosu signed a first professional contract last summer.
Man United, Man City and Tottenham had all been in contact with the midfielder’s camp over a potential move away from the London Stadium.
But the Hammers got Nwosu signed up and many were predicting big things for the midfield talent, who is highly rated by England too.
Top West Ham talent Nwosu leaving for Forest
Make no mistake, Nwosu is regarded as one of the brightest prospects to come out of the West Ham Academy for years and has always played well up the age groups.
Now, though, Romano has confirmed Forest have exacted a crushing revenge on the Hammers by luring Nwosu to the City Ground.
Romano said documents were signed on Tuesday and West Ham insiders have confirmed the club will receive a nominal fee.
🚨🌳 Nottingham Forest have signed 17 year old talent Chinaza Nwosu from West Ham, chased by many top clubs.
Documents set to be signed today. pic.twitter.com/j85C0mh4mZ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 2, 2025
View Tweet
West Ham fans are furious at losing Nwosu.
Some have criticised Potter and the setup for failing to show the top young players there is a clear pathway to first team football.
It is a devastating blow to the Hammers, the impact of which may not be felt straight away but will soon enough as West Ham may have to watch Nwosu thrive at Forest and possibly make them big money in the future too.