As the club prepares to strengthen again in January, a new report has set out the impact of Nottingham Forest’s summer overhaul.
The Reds’ stunning rise up the table last season ended with promotion via the play-offs. And that led to sweeping changes to the squad as head coach Steve Cooper prepared for life in the Premier League, with Forest needing to strengthen as well as replace a significant number of departures.
A total of 22 new faces came through the City Ground doors, albeit three immediately headed out on loan. According to Transfermarkt, it meant the Reds recorded the biggest increase in squad value in 2022 across European football.
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Bringing in the likes of club record signing Morgan Gibbs-White, Neco Williams, Jesse Lingard, Remo Freuler and Renan Lodi saw the squad value rocket. It increased by 233 million euros (£205m) to 280m euros (£247m).
That leap was more than a number of European heavyweights, such as Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan. Fellow promoted side Fulham are also included in Transfermarkt’s top 10 biggest increases in squad value, while Newcastle United, Arsenal and West Ham United are the other Premier League sides to make the list.
The top 10 is made up of: 1. Nottingham Forest - squad value of 280m euros (+233m euros increase); 2. Newcastle United - 447m euros (+226m euros); 3. Barcelona - 800m euros (+204m euros); 4. Arsenal - 759m euros (+197m euros); 5. Bayern Munich - 943m euros (+114m euros); 6. West Ham United - 460m euros (+109m euros); 7. AC Milan - 574m euros (+100m euros); 8. Rennes - 318m euros (+99m euros); 9. PSV - 251m euros (+97m euros); 10. Fulham - 240m euros (+95m euros).
Bayern’s increase of 114m euros moved them up four places in the international ranking of the most valuable squads. The value of Manchester City’s squad puts them top of the pile on that front, however.
Forest’s 22 summer signings was a British record for a single transfer window. Upwards of £150m was spent as owner Evangelos Marinakis kept his promise to back Cooper in the market.
An initial £25m was splashed out on Gibbs-White, while snapping up Williams and Taiwo Awoniyi also meant significant outlays. Dean Henderson, Giulian Biancone, Moussa Niakhate, Omar Richards, Wayne Hennessey, Brandon Aguilera, Harry Toffolo, Lewis O’Brien, Orel Mangala, Emmanuel Dennis, Cheikhou Kouyate, Hwang Ui-jo, Willy Boly, Josh Bowler, Loic Bade and Serge Aurier made up the tally of summer arrivals.
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