Nottingham Forest took a more measured approach in this summer’s transfer window, a stark contrast to their frantic dealings in previous years.
While they still brought in 11 new players, the emphasis was clearly on quality over quantity, aiming to secure the club’s position further away from the Premier League relegation zone.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side ended the transfer window with a net spend of just £18 million, an impressive feat considering the caliber of signings like Nikola Milenkovic and James Ward-Prowse.
The club also made smart sales, with Orel Mangala and Moussa Niakhate bringing in around £47 million—an important boost for staying within financial regulations for another year.
Forest showed their ambitions, too, by turning down a significant offer for one of their key players late in the window.
Anthony Elanga’s impact at Nottingham Forest
After his £15 million move from Manchester United last summer, winger Anthony Elanga arrived at Forest with high expectations, and he certainly delivered. He contributed 14 goals in the Premier League last season, the second-highest in the squad.
Elanga’s standout performances caught the attention of clubs during the summer, particularly Newcastle United. It was reported that Forest rejected a £50 million bid from Newcastle on deadline day, a clear sign of Evangelos Marinakis’ commitment to keeping their top players.
However, not every signing has been as successful.
Hwang Ui-Jo’s underwhelming time at Nottingham Forest
South Korean striker Hwang Ui-Jo was signed from Bordeaux for £4.2 million in the summer of 2022, only to be immediately loaned out to Olympiacos. Since then, he’s had loan spells at Norwich City, FC Seoul, and Alanyaspor, scoring just eight goals across all these stints, and has yet to make a competitive appearance for Forest.
Hwang has failed to secure a permanent move away from the club and hasn’t featured in a matchday squad this season, essentially just collecting a paycheck.
At 32 years old, Hwang earns an eye-watering £45,000 per week, according to Capology—a figure almost double that of star player Anthony Elanga, who earns just £25,000 per week despite his excellent form over the past year.
With Forest’s ongoing financial challenges and their recent battle with Premier League Sustainability Rules (PSR) that resulted in a four-point deduction last season, the club will want to avoid repeating the mistakes of overspending on underperforming players.
Hwang is just one example of a player the club urgently needs to offload, as he has failed to justify either his transfer fee or wages at the City Ground.