Nottingham Forest signings rated as Reds prepare to do summer business

Head coach Vitor Pereira was very clear about just how key their summer work will be for the Reds when he spoke about it last month. The Portuguese underlined his preference for transfer business being done early to ensure maximum time with his group ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

But that period could make just as big a difference for some players already at the club as for any summer signings. Not only will it allow Pereira to really implement his ideas, it could also help some of those players who found the going tough last season.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Get all the Nottingham Forest latest via our Facebook page

Thirteen newcomers arrived last summer, then Forest brought in a further three midway through the campaign. In terms of impacts made, it proved to be something of a mixed bag.

Patience can pay off, though, as Ibrahim Sangare proved when he shone after a challenging first few years Trentside. Players who struggled last time around can still come good.

As the Reds prepare to go again in the transfer market, the Nottingham Post delivers our verdict on how the recruits from the past year fared…

Igor Jesus: Arguably up there with the pick of last summer’s arrivals, at least in terms of the impact made on the banks of the Trent. The Europa League was his speciality but the striker looked more at ease in the Premier League when he had Chris Wood to play off. For a £16.5 million outlay, the Brazilian proved decent business. Rating: 7.5/10

Jair Cunha: Despite some promising early glimpses of what he had to offer, the defender had to be patient when it came to waiting for a proper chance. The more he played, the more it became apparent he has a lot of potential. At 21, he still has plenty of room for growth and he will surely prove to be an excellent addition. Rating: 8/10

Dan Ndoye: Hopes were high the winger would be able to replicate his Bologna form in the Premier League when he joined for a reported £34m. He couldn’t quite show the best version of himself in the Garibaldi but there is a player in there - he has demonstrated as such for Switzerland. Rating: 5/10

Angus Gunn: As a free transfer, there was no real risk involved when the Reds signed the Scot. Things didn’t work out quite as he hoped, as he has made clear in various interviews, and it is difficult to cast judgement given he played just the once. Rating: 6/10

Omari Hutchinson: Brought in for £37.5m, such a price tag brings with it a certain expectation - fairly or unfairly. The winger had no control over the fee, of course, but he will nevertheless be looking for greater consistency next term to repay the faith shown in him. Rating: 6.5/10

James McAtee: Pereira is not the first manager to note the former Manchester City man is capable of producing magic on the training ground; the challenge is to coax that out of him in games. Forest have seen glimpses of what he can do but nowhere near often enough. Rating: 5/10

Arnaud Kalimuendo: Should the Reds have kept hold of the forward in January? The decision to loan him out to Eintracht Frankfurt proved to be something of a turning point, with a permanent switch to the German outfit potentially now on the cards. If it happens, it will be a shame he didn’t get to really show what he could do at the City Ground. Rating: 6/10

Douglas Luiz: It was no surprise the midfielder’s loan was ended early. He has talent but he didn’t produce the kind of performances from his previous stint at Aston Villa. Forest would have hoped for more from him. Rating: 5/10

Nicolo Savona: It was unfortunate the full-back’s campaign was brought to a premature end by injury, and it may be he has already pulled on the Garibaldi for the final time. With clubs in his native Italy keen, it seems his City Ground spell might prove to be a short one. Rating: 6/10

John Victor: If the Brazilian goalkeeper moves on this summer, the defining image of his time with the Reds will be of him leaving the Villa Park pitch in tears. It was a horrible error against Aston Villa and the knee injury he sustained brought an end to his season. Rating: 5/10

Cuiabano: Given he is yet to play for Forest, it’s difficult to cast judgement on the left-back. But did Forest get a good deal? His fee was put at about £5m and he has had two loan spells since putting pen to paper so the verdict is mixed. Rating: 6/10

Dilane Bakwa: As with Ndoye, Hutchinson and McAtee, the winger arrived for a big fee (£30m) but found the going tough. He looked desperately short on confidence until Pereira arrived; hopefully he can find his spark for the season ahead. Rating: 5/10

Oleksandr Zinchenko: The loan from Arsenal didn’t work out for the left-back and calling time on it midway through was for the best all round. He was hampered by injury but did look vulnerable defensively when he played. Rating: 4/10

Lorenzo Lucca: Forest’s decision not to take up their permanent option on the Napoli loanee will not have come as a shock to anyone. The striker’s goal against Leeds United on his debut very much proved to be the high point of his City Ground stint. Rating: 4/10

Stefan Ortega: Effectively a free transfer from Manchester City, bringing in the 33-year-old goalkeeper proved a terrific bit of business by the Reds. If anything, it would have been good for him to have stayed for longer. Rating: 8.5/10

Luca Netz: Although he managed only a handful of opportunities for Forest during the second half of the season, the left-back showed enough to suggest he can play his part in the campaign ahead. The £2m fee looks like being a superb deal. Rating: 7/10