It has been a rollercoaster of a first season back in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest after a 23-year absence.
Steve Cooper's side have had plenty of ups and downs, proved numerous pundits wrong and left fans with a Waka Waka ear-worm for the summer ahead. And now the planning can really start for the 2023/24 campaign.
Head coach Cooper has already set out how the Reds must improve on and off the pitch in order to progress. They secured survival with a game to spare then signed off with a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace last Sunday, but behind the scenes attention will have quickly turned to what's next.
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It will be a big summer on the banks of the Trent. Forest's transfer business was always going to be significantly impacted by which division they found themselves in, and now they have clarity the work can begin in earnest.
The Premier League have confirmed the dates for the next two transfer windows. This year is unlikely to be as busy as last summer for Forest, but incomings and outgoings are expected.
Summer transfer window
The Premier League have confirmed the summer window will open on Wednesday, June 14. It will close at 11pm on Friday, September 1.
January window
The winter window will open on Monday, January 1 2024. Clubs will have until 11pm on Thursday, February 1 2024 to get deals done.
Additionally, the Premier League say: “To ensure harmonisation with the major leagues in Europe, the closing dates were set following discussions with the EFL, DFL, Serie A, LaLiga, and LFP, who will all close their summer and winter windows on 1 September and 1 February respectively.”
That means the windows in Spain, Italy, Germany and France will also close their windows at the same time. English Football League clubs in the Championship, League One and League Two will follow the same window dates as Premier League sides.
Other key dates
Fixture release day
Always an eagerly-anticipated day. Time to start planning all those away days and getting dates in the diary. Premier League fixtures for the 2023/24 season will be released at 9am on Thursday, June 15.
Premier League dates
Forest do not have too long to wait before the action starts again, the new season will kick off 76 days after the last one ended. The Premier League have already announced the new campaign will begin on the weekend of August 12-13. It will conclude on Sunday, May 19 2024, when all fixtures will kick off simultaneously.
Last year’s World Cup in Qatar meant the campaign paused from mid-November until late December. This time around there will also be a mid-season break, but on a much smaller scale.
The Premier League have said: “In keeping with commitments made to clubs this season to address the congested festive schedule, no two rounds across Christmas and New Year will take place within 48 hours of each other. The schedule also provides for a return of the mid-season player break, which will take place between 13-20 January.”
Next term will consist of 34 weekends, three midweek rounds and one Bank Holiday match round.
Pre-season fixtures
Forest have announced one friendly so far. They will take on neighbours Notts County at Meadow Lane on Saturday, July 15 (kick-off 1pm).
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