Nottingham Forest summer transfer work begins as exits confirmed

Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo
Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo -Credit:Getty


Nottingham Forest have announced centre-back Felipe, midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate and goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey will leave the club this summer.

The trio are out of contract at the end of June and their deals are not being renewed. They will depart as free agents.

The Reds have also confirmed their five loanees are to return to their parent clubs. Gio Reyna, Divock Origi, Nuno Tavares, Gonzalo Montiel and Rodrigo Ribeiro’s loan spells come to an end this summer.

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In all but the case of Reyna their deals include the potential for Forest to make their moves permanent, but there has been no suggestion that will happen. The club said in a statement: “Nottingham Forest would like to thank each player for their contribution during their time at the City Ground and wishes them well for the future.”

Defenders Willy Boly and Ola Aina are also coming to the end of their contracts. However, it is expected the Reds will look to keep them on. Loic Mbe Soh, Scott McKenna and Harry Arter are also due to depart as free agents.

Felipe made the move to the City Ground in January 2023 and played a key role in securing Premier League survival that term. He was hit by injury problems this time around and announced his intention to retire earlier this year.

Kouyate and Hennessey both signed in the summer of 2022 after promotion to the top-flight had been secured. The former was largely restricted to a substitutes’ role this term amid plenty of options for head coach Nuno Espirito Santo in the centre of the pitch. Hennessey arrived as a back-up keeper but was pushed further down the pecking order as Forest looked to solve their problems between the posts - Matt Turner and Odysseas Vlachodimos joined last summer, followed by Matz Sels in January.

The departures mark the start of a big summer Trentside. Incomings and outgoings are expected as the Reds prepare for a third successive campaign in the Premier League.

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