Departures are on cards for Reds in busy summer
NOTTINGHAM Forest’s transfer business will be in the spotlight this month as the club begin their defence against breaching Profitability and Sustainability Rules.
The Reds have the threat of a points deduction hanging over them as they fight to stay in the Premier League. They will face a threeperson independent commission next week after being charged with breaking financial regulations in January.
A verdict on Forest’s hearing is not expected until April. And depending on any appeal, there is the possibility the situation may not be resolved until after the season has finished, with a backstop date of May 24 in place.
Amid it all, no doubt the signings made and the deals done by the Reds will be the subject of plenty of debate by pundits and fans alike in the meantime.
As at any club, Forest haven’t always got it right. They have overseen some good and bad additions in recent years.
If any one player best sums up money not being spent wisely and questionable decision-making it is Harry Arter.
The midfielder remains on the books despite last playing a competitive game in the Garibaldi in January 2021.
Arter has had short loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Notts County since then but his stint with the latter ended in May 2022. He is said to be picking up a cool £40,000 a week, according to The Daily Mail, despite it being some time since he was even part of the first-team set-up.
Now 34, he should have gone on to be a key player when he put pen to paper at the City Ground from Bournemouth in September 2020. Instead, he has made only 14 appearances for the club.
As part of Arter’s lucrative contract, a clause was triggered when the Reds secured promotion to the Premier League two years ago. His deal had been due to expire in 2023 but Forest’s return to the top flight meant an extension until 2024. Unable to offload him before now, the club will see Arter walk away as a free agent in the summer.
He will not be the only player to depart come the end of the season. The Reds will hope they are planning for another campaign in the Premier League at that point but will face some big decisions on their squad regardless.
The loans of Gonzalo Montiel, Nuno Tavares, Divock Origi, Gio Reyna and Rodrigo Ribeiro will expire then. In the cases of Montiel, Tavares, Origi and Ribeiro there is the possibility of making the moves permanent.
Wayne Hennessey, Willy Boly, Felipe, Ola Aina, Cheikhou Kouyate and Chris Wood will see their contracts expire in the summer. Likewise, Loic Mbe Soh and Scott Mckenna, who are both currently out on loan. Forest also have Joe Worrall and Orel Mangala out on loan, with their respective clubs holding options to buy.
The summer is still some way off and plenty can happen between now and then. But it could be another busy transfer window when it comes to departures from the banks of the Trent.