NafisaNottingham Forest will be looking to bring in fresh talent during the summer period as the transfer window kicks into gear.
Igor Jesus is arriving at Forest from Botafogo. He will be accompanied by his two companions – Jair Cunha and Cuiabano – with the Reds poised to finalise a move for three Brazilian prospects.
Forwards will be on the agenda at the City Ground this summer, with additional attacking options needed. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, however, won’t be heading to Forest, as the free agent is not included in the club’s broad shortlist of targets.
To genuinely revamp their squad this summer, departures will also be essential. Danilo is heading to Lyon once the Brazilian trio put pen to paper, and other players are also expected to leave during the window.
Decision reached on the future of Nottingham Forest defender Jonathan Panzo:
It’s been a peculiar spell for Panzo at Forest, and he might be questioning why he joined the Reds in the first place.
Now, as per Record, Panzo will turn his loan at Rio Ave into a permanent transfer this summer after an encouraging season in Portugal, with the club under the ownership of Evangelos Marinakis.
Panzo arrived for £1.5 million from Dijon during the January window of 2022. Steve Cooper was aiming to bolster his squad for a promotion charge and opted for Panzo, who had been part of his England under-17 World Cup-winning squad in 2017.
Yet, his stint at Forest hasn’t really unfolded as hoped. Panzo featured in just one game – a 1-1 draw with Hull on the final day of 2021/22 – and has since been sent on multiple loan assignments after the club’s rise to the Premier League.
Panzo has had spells at Cardiff, Coventry, and Standard Liege but will now sign a one-year deal with Rio Ave after the 2024/25 season, where he netted once in 26 matches for the club.
What Steve Cooper said about Jonathan Panzo:
It’s clear the former manager who brought him to the City Ground holds the defender in high regard. He worked with him at the international level, and had Forest not earned promotion when they did, Panzo might have had more involvement in the Championship.
Cooper praised his display during the 1-1 draw against Hull in the 2021/22 campaign. He said after the match: “I thought he did well. It was good for him to get his first start. He showed some good bits in the game.”
Panzo was always an unlikely candidate for Premier League minutes, with Forest mostly relying on Joe Worrall, Scott McKenna, and Steve Cook after their contributions in the promotion-winning side.
At 24, Panzo still has plenty of time to carve out a successful career in football. Marinakis clearly sees potential in him, and he’ll undoubtedly remain under the Forest owner’s close watch at Rio Ave.
Nafisa
