How many of 12 are heading for the City Ground exit?
BIG DECISIONS AHEAD FOR BOSS HUGHTON:
AN overhaul of the Nottingham Forest playing squad means a number of players could have played their final games for the club.
In addition to the five loanees whose deals have come to an end, the Reds have seven players out of contract this summer.
Chris Hughton has already suggested defender Michael Dawson and striker Glenn Murray will not be offered fresh terms – although the Forest boss has said the “door will always be open” for the former to take up a different role, if he opts to hang up his boots.
Centre-back Michael Hefele will also move on. He has not been involved in the first-team set-up for some time.
And The Telegraph claim Sammy Ameobi, Samba Sow and Abdoulaye Diallo are unlikely to be at the City Ground next season, with left-back Yuri Ribeiro the only one of the outof-contract players who might be offered a new deal.
Forest have an option to extend goalkeeper Diallo’s stay by another 12 months, but he has only been involved in a match-day squad once.
It would be no surprise to see 32-year-old Sow depart, given he has found himself down the midfield pecking order and has continued to struggle with injury problems this year.
And although Ameobi has featured regularly under Hughton, the manager has spoken of the need to bring in more creativity and bolster his attacking resources during the transfer window.
The report adds midfielders Harry Arter and Fouad Bachirou, along with full-backs Gaetan Bong and Carl Jenkinson, have been told they can find new clubs.
Arter and Bachirou were left out of the 25-man EFL squad for the second half of the campaign, which always pointed to an uncertain future with the Reds.
Jenkinson has featured only five times this season as Fulham loanee Cyrus Christie sealed the spot.
It remains to be seen whether Forest attempt to get Christie back, but they will have youngster Jordan Gabriel returning this summer from a loan spell with Blackpool.
Hughton has rotated the left-back spot throughout the campaign, with Bong and Ribeiro both playing their part, along with Tyler Blackett.
The Reds also have Nicholas Ioannou on the books, although it has been suggested he is keen to stay in Greece once his loan with Aris Thessalonki ends.
Forest are said to have watched Oxford United left-back Josh Ruffels, with the 27-year-old out of contract this summer and believed to be keen on playing in the Championship.
However, he may still get there with Oxford, who have earned a place in the League One play-offs.
Reds boss Chris Hughton is to meet with owner Evangelos Marinakis to discuss the campaign and there could also be significant changes behind the scenes as well as
on the pitch.
A new-look recruitment team is said to be being assembled, ahead of what will be a crucial transfer window.
Forest have been criticised for some of their transfer business in the past and there is a determination to get it right this summer to give Hughton the best possible chance of achieving success.
In addition to George Syrianos, currently head of analytics with Bundesliga side VFB Stuttgart, taking up a data and analytics role, The Telegraph report Chris Brass will take on a senior recruitment post across the academy and firstteam.
Brass has held various assistant manager and caretaker manager roles and was previously head of football operations with Wigan Athletic.
Asked about the potential changes, Hughton said: “What I will do is sit down with the owner and my bosses and speak about going into next season.
“It will be the normal stuff where we could have done better and players we can bring in.
“I would like to think there would be a wide field of discussions.
“I’m always conscious that I’m the manager and I have an owner and bosses who are very much above me.”
Talk of a new recruitment set-up comes as Reds chief executive Ioannis Vrentzos is understood to be considering his role at the City Ground.
He is believed to be weighing up his options, which could include taking on a modified role with Forest or returning to Greece, where he remains on the board at fellow Marinakis-owned club Olympiacos.
Vrentzos took up the position of CEO when shipping magnate Marinakis bought the Reds four years ago, in May 2017.
He has come under fire from Forest supporters for the club’s recruitment strategy, as well as overseeing a significant turnover of managers.