SMART MOVE: Nuno Espirito Santos praised of decision in selling Flop Out of City Ground to SIGN Elite Player who is now very much adapting to Nunos tactic.
The signings of players like Jonjo Shelvey and Omar Richards have not worked out as planned for Nottingham Forest. Richards is currently spending the 2024/25 season on loan at Rio Ave, the club’s sister team in Portugal. Shelvey, who joined from Newcastle United in January 2023, made only eight appearances before being sent to Turkey after a reported fallout with former manager Steve Cooper.
These missteps contributed to the club’s financial struggles, leading to a failure to meet the PSR limit for the previous financial year and a four-point deduction last season. Another costly signing that hasn’t panned out is Emmanuel Dennis.
### Emmanuel Dennis’ Time at Nottingham Forest
Dennis joined Forest in a £20 million deal from Watford in the summer of 2022, following an impressive season where he scored ten goals for the Hornets. However, his time at Nottingham Forest has been disappointing, with the Nigerian forward making just 25 appearances over two years.
Due to his poor form, Dennis spent the last season on loan, first at Istanbul Basaksehir and then returning to Watford for the second half of the campaign. Although he managed to score four goals in the Championship, it wasn’t enough to secure a spot in Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad for the current season. He hasn’t featured in any of the team’s first three matches this campaign.
Despite his struggles at Forest, Dennis still holds a higher market value than another player who once showed promise at the City Ground.
### Emmanuel Dennis’ Market Value in 2024
Arvin Appiah, a product of Forest’s academy, made his debut in 2018 as a substitute in a Carabao Cup match against Burton Albion. He went on to make six Championship appearances before securing a surprising £8 million transfer to Spanish side Almeria that same summer.