Nottingham Forest set to upset Premier League rivals as double agreement nears at the City Ground

Nottingham Forest are already the envy of plenty of Premier League clubs this season, but Evangelos Marinakis’ next move will certainly annoy their rivals.

Forest have surpassed all expectations to find themselves in the front seat of the Champions League qualification race, aided by the Premier League earning a fifth Champions League spot.

Team

MP

W

D

L

GD

Pts

1

Liverpool

29 21 7 1 42 70

2

Arsenal

29 16 10 3 29 58

3

Nottm Forest

29 16 6 7 14 54

4

Chelsea

29 14 7 8 16 49

5

Man City

29 14 6 9 15 48

With so much talent aiding Nuno Espirito Santo’s continental push, the Forest squad has come under interest from those within the Premier League looking to earn back the league position that the Reds have claimed.

Perhaps the chief example of this has been Murillo, whose eye-catching displays have made him of keen interest to the Champions League regulars. Liverpool were interested in Murillo in January before the Brazilian signed a new contract at the City Ground, meaning that Forest would demand a world-record fee to part with Murillo.

The new contract certainly gives the Reds a level of strength in any negotiations, though, making the move to secure two more of the Forest manager’s stars of vital importance.

Ola Aina closing in on new Nottingham Forest contract

The first to receive a new contract looks to be Ola Aina, which is particularly important given his current deal was set to run out in the summer. Aina has always hoped to stay at Forest and according to reports in Business Day in Nigeria, he is set to do just that.

The report said: “The former Torino full-back [Aina] is reportedly in advanced negotiations with Nottingham Forest for a contract extension beyond June 2025.

“The 28-year-old defender has become a crucial part of Forest’s backline since joining the club in 2023, and both parties are reportedly keen to continue the partnership.”