Nottingham Forest ‘close’ to completing £30m double transfer raid | OneFootball

Forest’s Brazilian Double Swoop Signals Ambition Beyond Survival

Brazilian imports reflect new identity

There was a time, not so long ago, when Nottingham Forest’s transfer strategy could be summed up as scattergun at best, desperate at worst. Now, under Nuno Espirito Santo, it is starting to feel a little more like a vision. A blueprint. Or at the very least, a direction of travel that doesn’t involve driving round Europe with the sat-nav off.

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According to The Telegraph, Forest are on the verge of completing a £30 million double signing of Botafogo duo Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha. It’s a deal that is both bold and precise — a Brazilian striker with international pedigree, and a centre-back who is said to possess composure rare in defenders of his age. Both played starring roles in Botafogo’s 2-1 Club World Cup win over Seattle Sounders, and both are expected to finalise medicals later this month.

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It marks a notable shift in Forest’s recruitment profile: young, hungry, technically adept. Crucially, not just Premier League survivors, but now aspirants to something more enduring.

Squad retention just as important

Yet the most meaningful moves this summer may not be the arrivals, but the ones who stay. Neco Williams and Ola Aina are both close to signing new long-term contracts, and in the broader narrative of Nottingham Forest’s resurgence, this cannot be overstated.

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Williams has been a revelation since arriving from Liverpool for £17 million, and arguably had his best season in red last year. Aina, picked up for free, has defied expectations with consistency and versatility, triggering an option to extend but now expected to commit longer-term.

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The club’s decision to renew their deals is, in effect, a reinforcement of its new core. Nuno has often stressed the importance of continuity. “You need a base,” he said in April, “not just quality but familiarity, trust, character.”

European football brings expectation

After sealing a return to European football for the first time in nearly three decades with a seventh-placed finish, Forest’s ambitions have grown, not cooled. Owner Evangelos Marinakis is said to view continental football as a “minimum expectation” moving forward. The “not for sale” sign on key players like Murillo and Morgan Gibbs-White is not simply posturing — it is a signal of intent.

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Manchester City’s flirtation with Gibbs-White ended with Rayan Cherki’s arrival at the Etihad. But it will take more than flirtation to prise away Forest’s crown jewels.

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Meanwhile, more additions are expected. Nuno wants wingers, a central midfielder, a left-back and a second-choice goalkeeper. Moves for Danilo and Matt Turner to Lyon are expected to accelerate once the Brazilian double act is confirmed.

New targets still in frame

Forest’s interest in left-back Cuiabano, also of Botafogo, is ongoing. Brighton have previously scouted the 22-year-old, but a deal is yet to be struck. It may follow the Jesus-Cunha route, or fall away entirely.

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But the bigger picture is this: Forest are no longer simply reacting to the market, they are shaping it — slowly, steadily, on their own terms.

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For Forest fans, this is the kind of summer they’ve dreamt about for years. Not a desperate scramble to fill holes, not bargain-bin panic buys, but targeted, strategic moves rooted in footballing identity.

The arrival of Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha is thrilling. Brazilian flair at the City Ground — the mind wanders to samba steps under the Trent End floodlights. Jesus could be the cutting edge Forest have lacked, while Cunha’s composure adds calm to chaos. It’s not just who they’re signing, but how they’re signing. There’s logic. Structure. Confidence.

Securing new contracts for Neco and Aina is just as important. Fans want to see reward for loyalty and performances, and both deserve their new deals. These are the kinds of players who make up the glue of a European side.

With a place in Europe confirmed, Forest now look like a club preparing not just for a season abroad, but a sustained spell among England’s elite. For the first time in decades, Forest fans can dare to believe again. And more than that, they can expect.