He has only appeared 10 times in the Premier League this season.
Since Steve Cooper’s promotion back to the Premier League in May 2022, Nottingham Forest has made several transfers.
Since defeating Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley, the Reds have made 34 new signings, with owner Evangelos Marinakis investing more than £200 million on the playing roster, giving the club the best opportunity of retaining Premier League membership.
While the team narrowly avoided relegation with one game remaining last season, it had spent a lot of money on transfer fees and wages, with certain players failing to reach expectations at City Ground.
Jonjo Shelvey joined the Reds in January 2023 for an undisclosed sum, but the former Newcastle United player was later released in order to relocate to Turkey.
He wasn’t the only player who came to the club with big hopes; another seasoned Premier League midfielder was also looking past his prime in England’s top flight.
Cheikhou Kouyate’s statistics at Nottingham Forest
Cheikhou Kouyate was brought in as a free transfer from fellow Premier League club Crystal Palace in the summer of 2022 to bring much-needed Premier League experience to a very young Forest squad.
The 34-year-old signed a two-year contract when he arrived at the City Ground, with Kouyate hoping to make one farewell appearance in the Premier League.
During his debut season with the club, the midfielder appeared in 21 league games, starting only seven times.
This season, he has played ten games for the team in a supporting role. However, he has found starts even more difficult to come by, with only two throughout the 2023/24 season, both under former manager Cooper.
With his contract expiring at the end of the current season, it appears doubtful that he will be awarded a new agreement, particularly given the amount of money the midfielder receives per week.
How much does Cheikhou Kouyate make at Nottingham Forest?
The deal to bring Kouyate to the City Ground saw the team pay £45k per week for the midfielder, who was one of the club’s biggest earners following promotion.
During his stay at the club, the 34-year-old has earned £3.7 million in pay, with Kouyate set to earn another £900,000 before his contract expires in June.
His weekly salary at Forest exceeds that of several current starters, with Anthony Elanga topping the list.
| Players Cheikhou Kouyate earns more than at Forest | |
|---|---|
| Andrew Omobamidele | £35k-p/w |
| Nicolas Dominguez | £35k-p/w |
| Danilo | £30k-p/w |
| Murillo | £30k-p/w |
| Ryan Yates | £25k-p/w |
| Anthony Elanga | £25k-p/w |
| Data via Capology | |
Ryan Yates and Brazilians Murillo and Danilo both make less than Kouyate, with first-team members earning £25k and £30k per week, respectively.
Undoubtedly, bringing the Senegalese player to the City Ground seemed like a no-brainer at the time. However, it is evident that he is not up to the level required for the Premier League, and the club will need to move him this summer.
