The top five Nottingham Forest signings of the Evangelos Marinakis era

Nottingham Forest have had some big hits in the transfer market during Evangelos Marinakis' time as Reds owner

Nottingham Forest have made a fine start to the Premier League season, and they have been helped in no small part by an excellent summer transfer window.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has strength in depth across the pitch and the majority of the new recruits have made positive early impressions. The Reds did some excellent business. A case can be made for the summer representing one of Forest’s best windows of recent times.

Owner Evangelos Marinakis has invested a substantial sum of money in the playing squad since he took over in 2017. As with any club, the Reds have had mixed success on the transfer front.

The past few years have seen a few flops but also a fair few hits. Picking the best permanent signings of the Marinakis era is tough - and plenty of players could have made the cut. Below is our top five.

Morgan Gibbs-White

Eyebrows were raised by some pundits when Forest splashed out an initial £25 million to snap up Gibbs-White from Wolverhampton Wanderers. It didn’t take long for that fee to look like an absolute bargain, though, and it appears even better value as time has gone on.

It is impossible to overstate the England international’s importance Trentside. On his day, he is a delight to watch. The sooner he is tied down to a new contract, the better.

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Murillo

The defender was a steal at £11m from Corinthians. Inevitably, he will make the Reds a heck of a lot of money when he moves on at some point in the future - even if Forest would love to keep him for as long as possible.

The Brazilian took to English football straight away and is now one of the first names on the team-sheet. The only thing missing at the moment is his first goal in the Garibaldi.

Lewis Grabban

Four years at the City Ground yielded 56 goals from 149 appearances for the Bagsman. In the 2019/20 campaign he became the first Reds player to hit 20 goals in a single season since David Johnson and Marlon Harewood in 2003.

He was a big part of the promotion-winning side, playing a key role on and off the pitch. Forest would have benefitted if they had been able to hang on to him when his contract expired that summer. Having him back at the club now, as a Professional Development Phase coach, is a huge positive.

Brice Samba

For his penalty saves, his one-handed catches and his time-wasting antics alone, the Frenchman will always be a Reds great. That he was also a top goalkeeper and was integral to the club’s return to the top flight of English football only cements his place as a superb signing.

Forest haven’t really replaced him since he left for Lens in 2022. They are still looking for someone to really cement themselves as a long-term No.1.

Jack Colback

The midfielder deserves his spot on this list for THAT goal alone. Whether he meant it or not, his stunning strike against West Bromwich Albion in 2022 was the stuff of legend.

Across three separate spells (two on loan), the former Newcastle United man was a fine servant for Forest. His versatility of being able to play left-back proved incredibly useful during the promotion season.

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