Forest Rip Up the Blueprint with High-Risk Transfer Overhaul

Time and time again, we see that the price of success in the Premier League is often costly.

Those who sit atop the food chain have no qualms about claiming the spoils of those further down the pecking order, as Nottingham Forest are now brutally finding out.

The Reds have suffered a two-punch combination in the past week, losing two of their key stars: Anthony Elanga to Newcastle and now Morgan Gibbs-White, on the verge of a move to Spurs.

We’re going to lose Gibbs White on the cheap to a team who finished 17th because Brennan Johnson scored a goal against a team who finished 15th pic.twitter.com/bEQ4IQ0tTq

— John (@febbington) July 10, 2025

As they desperately retreat to the ropes and the fans cover their eyes, we ask, where do they go from here?

European Football: A blessing and a curse

Nuno Espirito Santo's side proved the naysayers' wrong last term as they counter-attacked their way to European football, for the first time in 29 years.

There were a few murmurs of discontent at missing out on the Champions League at the final moment, but the overall feeling was one of jubilation.

However, the dust has settled, and the reality is setting in. The Champions League is the pinnacle of club football, and the ambitious Elanga and Gibbs-White have been unable to resist its pull.

Not only do Forest now have to replace two of their biggest stars, but they also have to build a squad capable of combating the rigours of domestic and European football.

What do the fans think?

Football fans are a fickle bunch. We know this by now. But sometimes the uproar is warranted.

A large swathe of the Forest fanbase has not taken well to recent events, with owner Evangelos Marinakis, Edu and Gibbs-White all on the receiving end of some choice words.

To make matters worse, Forest's social media team chose to reveal next season's kit just as the Gibbs-White news broke across social media. And well, the response was as you would expect.

Will the shirts also be sold at 40% less than they're worth or does that only apply to our best players?

— Ollie (@ollieshone) July 10, 2025

Shame we won't have any players left to play in it 😂

— Alex 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇳🇱 (@AO1865) July 10, 2025

We won't pretend to understand the financial minutiae involved in a football transfer; however, the supposed £60 million release clause in Gibbs-White's contract has caused understandable outrage.

The former Wolves man has been the standout player since joining the Reds for a package worth up to £42.5 million in 2022. Earlier this summer, when Manchester City came sniffing, Forest was quick to slap a £100 million price tag on the England international, hence the bemusement at the Spurs deal.

In the wake of selling Elanga to what is perceived to be a direct rival in Newcastle, and now the Gibbs-White debacle. How does Forest get the fans back on side?

Where will the goals come from?

Elanga and Gibbs-White combined for 32 goal contributions in the Premier League last season; replacing that output is no mean feat. The first new arrival is Igor Jesus, the 24-year-old Brazilian striker who joins from Botafogo in a double deal that also includes central defender Jair Cunha.

Jesus, who was a pivotal figure as Botafogo lifted the Serie A and Copa Libertadores titles last season, will be battling with Chris Wood for that central striker role. In his final outings for the Brazilian outfit at the Club World Cup, he caught the attention with goals against Seattle Sounders and European champions PSG.

Now the mission is to replace the creativity that is in real short supply after the outgoings.

If recent reports are to be believed, Forest seems to be lining up an English replacement, presumably to remain within the homegrown quota. Manchester City's James McAtee and Liverpool's Harvey Elliott are the most prominent names on the list.

Though he is yet to be linked, we believe Jack Grealish could be a target, with the Englishman eager for consistent minutes in what is a World Cup year.

2024/25 Per90 Comparison: Gibbs-White, Elliott, McAtee, Grealish (Squawka)

It is difficult to gauge how McAtee and Elliott would fare in a starring role, but both seem ready to take that step in their respective careers. While Grealish has shown that he can be the man, but question marks are lingering after an underwhelming City career.

In terms of replacing Elanga, work behind the scenes seems to be well underway, according to reports. There were strong links with Lyon winger Malick Fofana, but with the announcement of Lyon's reinstatement to Ligue 1, they may be less inclined to sell.

The move that seems increasingly likely is Johan Bakayoko from Eredivisie champions, PSV. Bakayoko, who is just 22 years old, has a similar profile to Elanga and contributed to 13 goals in the last campaign, three of which came in the Champions League.

2024/25 Per90 Comparison: Elanga, Bakayoko, Fofana (WhoScored)

Though there will be concerns that neither of the targets comes close to matching the Swede's impressive assist tally.

It looks set to be a massive summer in Nottingham.

They can take encouragement from fellow Premier League sides who the big boys have pillaged. Brighton and Brentford are two recent examples of teams that reinvest money well, but seldom threaten the top end of the table.

Marinakis has never been shy of his ambitions for the club, so licking their wounds and settling for mid-table obscurity will surely not be an option.

Reinforcements will need to be plentiful if the Reds want European football to become the norm, and not just a one-off.