DONE DEAL;‘Matz Sels to never play for Nottingham Forest after Nuno Espírito Santo decision’…

A year ago Matz Sels was on the verge of a low-key move to Nottingham Forest.

The 2024 January transfer window was overshadowed by the threat of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), meaning spending and excitement plummeted.

There were only 17 permanent deals done by Premier League clubs.

Yet Sels’ move still did not make BBC Sport’s round-up of the ‘most interesting’ transfers of an underwhelming window.

He just looked like yet another player joining a club that seemed to be in a constant cycle of chaos.

One season at Newcastle United nine years ago was his only previous experience in England but Forest spent £5m to make Belgium goalkeeper their third No.1 of the season.

Sels accepted the gamble of leaving the relative comfort of life at Strasbourg in Ligue 1 to parachute into Forest’s relegation battle.

His debut in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on 4 February left his new side third bottom of the league, three points from safety.

The threat of a points deduction over PSR was also looming over Forest and they were indeed docked four points a month after he joined.

It was not an optimistic scenario, but fast forward a year and the gamble has patently paid off.

Forest go back to Vitality Stadium on Saturday in third place, just six points behind leaders Liverpool and with Sels leading the race for the Golden Glove with nine clean sheets.

He is part of the third-best defence in the division and has been a huge influence in what has been an incredible turnaround.

“I knew when I signed they were searching for a goalkeeper and I knew it was to keep the team in the league,” he tells BBC Sport.

“When you take a goalkeeper in January, most of the time it’s when the team is in difficulties.