Angus Gunn and Elliot Anderson left Nottingham Forest this summer
Angus Gunn and Elliot Anderson left Nottingham Forest this summer
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One of the key priorities for Nottingham Forest during the summer transfer window was to trim numbers.
Head coach Oliver Glasner prefers to work with a small squad anyway and with no European football on offer for the Reds, the Austrian did not want players left kicking their heels. A bloated dressing room has posed a challenge at the City Ground in the past, but it is certainly not the case this season.
Five new faces were added to the ranks in Xaver Schlager, Ousmane Diomande, Steven Benda, Liam Delap and Daniel Munoz, while Gustavo Sa joined Olympiacos on loan after putting pen to paper. Glasner was attracted to the potential already in the group, so there was no need for a mass overhaul.
Heading in the opposite direction, a number of players left the club as part of the summer changes. Below, the Nottingham Post takes a look at how those first-team players who moved on before the September 1 deadline are getting on…
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Eric da Silva Moreira (Excelsior, season-long loan)
Although he has seen limited minutes in the Garibaldi, the 20-year-old wing-back has plenty of potential. He is showing it during his season-long loan at Excelsior, where he has been a regular starter so far.
Since joining the Dutch side, Moreira has made four starts and one substitute appearance. He has been on duty with Germany Under-20s during the international window and scored in their 2-1 defeat to England Under-20s over the weekend.
Dilane Bakwa (Lille, season-long loan)
A return to France should be a chance for the winger to get his confidence back after a difficult first season Trentside. The former Strasbourg man made the perfect start to life at Lille by marking his debut with a goal in a 2-2 draw at home to Paris Saint-Germain.
He has made five appearances in total, albeit just one of those run-outs was as part of the first XI. In his sole start, against Troyes, Bakwa weighed in with an assist to help his team clinch a 2-0 win.
Tyler Bindon (Charlton Athletic, season-long loan)
The priority for any defender is to keep a clean-sheet, but of late Bindon has been having an influence at the other end of the pitch. Currently away with New Zealand, he scored his third international goal in the All Whites’ recent 3-0 triumph over China.
Prior to being called up for his country, he set up Tyreece Campbell for the Addicks’ only goal in a 3-1 defeat to Cardiff City. The centre-back has made five starts in the Championship for his loan club.
Omari Hutchinson (AC Milan season-long loan)
The messages coming from Italy regarding whether Milan are likely to take up their €40 million (£34m) option on the winger have been mixed. It is early days, of course, but Hutchinson’s loan is yet to really kick into gear.
Manager Ruben Amorim is said to be an admirer but has used the Forest man sparingly so far. To date, Hutchinson has played 58 minutes across two appearances - being a late substitute in a 2-2 league draw with Lazio, then being hooked at half-time after starting against Benfica in the Europa League.
Zach Abbott (Southampton, season-long loan)
Glasner recently admitted he did not want to let the young defender leave on deadline day. However, the Reds boss recognised the 20-year-old’s eagerness for game time - something he would be unlikely to see much of at the City Ground this term.
Abbott’s switch to the south coast hasn’t worked out as intended so far, however. He is yet to get on the pitch, being an unused substitute in the Saints’ four Championship games prior to the international break.
Morato (West Ham, season-long loan)
A reunion with former Reds boss Nuno Espirito Santo in the capital seems to be going OK for the defender so far. The Hammers are second in the Championship and Morato has featured five times since joining the club on deadline day.
A substitute in his first couple of games, the Brazilian made his first start in a 6-0 thumping of Wrexham and has kept his place since then. He got on the scoresheet in West Ham’s 3-2 Carabao Cup loss to Fulham last month.
Gustavo Sa (Olympiacos, season-long loan)
Reds fans will have to wait to see what the summer signing is all about as he immediately headed on loan to sister side Olympiacos. He has made five appearances so far, two as part of the starting XI.
“I know the name Nottingham have, not only in England but around Europe,” the midfielder recently said (via Sport Witness). “I also knew about this part with the loan to Olympiacos, which everyone knows is the biggest club in Greece.
“I think it’s going to help me grow a lot. I’m very happy to have taken this step in my career.”
Five games into the Premier League season, where do you think Nottingham Forest will finish in the table?
Willy Boly (free agent)
The veteran defender’s time on the banks of the Trent came to an end in the summer when his contract expired. He made just two appearances for the Reds last season, being left out of the Premier League and Europa League squads for the second half of the campaign as injury struck.
He has previously been linked with a move abroad, including to France. However, it seems the 35-year-old is still without a club.
Stefan Ortega (Olympiacos)
The German was said to be keen on playing regularly when he left Forest at the expiration of his short-term contract. Although integral to the Reds’ run to the Europa League semi-finals, he had been back-up to Matz Sels in the Premier League and seemingly had his heart set on being a No.1 elsewhere.
He has been able to do just that at Olympiacos. Staying within the Evangelos Marinakis group, Ortega has made six appearances for the Greek giants.
Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes)
The Scot has said he wanted to leave Forest in January but any prospect of an exit was blocked when injuries stuck. He had to wait until the summer and the end of his contract to move on.
In the MLS, the shot-stopper has been getting the game time he has long craved. He has made 11 league starts for San Jose since his switch across the Atlantic.
Lorenzo Lucca (Napoli)
Back at his parent club after last season’s loan with the Reds did not work out, things haven’t exactly improved for the forward. He remains a bit-part player in Italy, with six substitute appearances this term, and has been coming in for some criticism.
Italian newspaper Il Mattino (via Calcio Napoli 1926) recently said Lucca was at risk of becoming “the missing footballer”. Their scathing assessment noted: “He is missing in every part of the pitch.”
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Elliot Anderson (Manchester City)
What fate awaits the midfielder and City after the club were found guilty of breaching financial rules? Anderson would have no shortage of takers, if it comes to that - and plenty of Forest fans have quipped he should simply return to the City Ground.
For now, the football world waits to discover what sanctions will be imposed on City. On the pitch at least, Anderson has generally been doing what he does best and has slotted in seamlessly at the Etihad Stadium since his £116m move.
David Carmo (Olympiacos)
The defender left Forest without making a single competitive appearance for the club. He returned to fellow Marinakis-owned side Olympiacos for a third stint and is at least getting minutes under his belt in Greece.
Carmo scored the winner in his first league outing of the season, coming off the bench to bag the only goal of the game against Atromitos. He has made two starts and two substitute appearances so far.
Jota Silva (Olympiacos)
The Portuguese initially joined Olympiacos on loan but his move was turned into a permanent deal. He has made a positive impact so far, scoring twice in eight run-outs for the club.
“I think it was a project that has embraced me and in general I feel good in the team,” the winger has said. “It was not a difficult decision to come, I knew a lot about the club and I liked it a lot. I am happy with my first days in the team.”
Taiwo Awoniyi (Coventry City)
A red card in the Sky Blues’ 5-0 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion denied the popular striker a return to his former stomping ground. Awoniyi would almost certainly have got a warm reception when Forest hosted City prior to the international break but his suspension meant he could not be involved.
The striker has one goal in five appearances so far, having found the net against Plymouth in the Carabao Cup. He will be hoping to get a few more, to aid the club’s survival mission.
Omar Richards (Aris)
There was much anticipation about the left-back when he was part of the Reds’ recruitment drive following promotion in the summer of 2022. Four years and an injury nightmare later, he left without making a competitive appearance.
After a number of loans, the move to Aris represents a fresh start for Richards. He has made four starts so far.
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Nottingham Forest reporter Sarah Clapson
Nottingham Forest reporter Sarah Clapson
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