Bournemouth boss Scott Parker has commented on Nottingham Forest’s summer spending spree as the two promoted clubs prepare for the Premier League.
The Reds have had little choice but to overhaul their dressing room ahead of their return to the top-flight. Five loanees were integral to Steve Cooper’s team last season but went back to their parent clubs at the end of the campaign, while Lewis Grabban and Tobias Figueiredo left at the end of their contracts, and goalkeeper Brice Samba departed for Lens after turning down a new deal.
Some players have headed out on loan, and others in the first-team squad are also expected to move on before the end of the window. As a result, Forest have had some significant gaps to fill.
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Eleven new signings have been made in a £70million recruitment drive - albeit Brandon Aguilera is seen as one for the future and has gone straight out on loan. Former Manchester United ace Jesse Lingard became the most recent addition, putting pen to paper on a one-year deal last week, and further business is in the pipeline.
The Cherries, who were pushed all the way by the Reds to finishing second last term, have yet to pay out a transfer fee. They have brought in Joe Rothwell and Ryan Fredericks on frees, prompting Parker to compare the two sides’ approach.
“It’s just the polar opposite to where we are, really,” he told DorsetLive. “It’s a club that have obviously got promoted and invested a huge amount of money, in terms of strengthening, in terms of going up to the next level, which is the Premier League.
“They’ve tried to do that with signing players, they’ve felt the need to do that. We’re not in that market.
“Us as a football club are not in a position to be able to do that, really. Them and us, it’s chalk and cheese.”
In addition to Lingard and Aguilera, Forest have brought in Taiwo Awoniyi, Dean Henderson, Moussa Niakhate, Giulian Biancone, Wayne Hennessey, Neco Williams, Omar Richards, Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien. Heading in the opposite direction, James Garner, Djed Spence, Keinan Davis, Philip Zinckernagel and Max Lowe left at the end of their loan spells, while Figueiredo, Grabban, Carl Jenkinson and Gaetan Bong moved on at the end of their contracts.
Jayden Richardson and Samba made permanent moves. And Mohamed Drager, Ethan Horvath, Will Swan, Tyrese Fornah, Jonathan Panzo, Fin Back and Riley Harbottle have made loan switches.
What have you made of Forest's transfer business so far? Have your say in the comments below
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