Nottingham Forest will definitely aim to unload several players during the summer transfer window, given the roster size revealed yesterday.
Forest defeated Chesterfield 3-0 in their first friendly of 2024/25, with goals scored by Chris Wood, Josh Bowler, and Ibrahim Sangare.
The Reds fielded two separate teams in each half, with 22 players on the pitch against League Two opponents.
One of the players who got a 45-minute run out was club captain Joe Worrall, who wore a Forest shirt for the first time since being loaned to Besiktas.
That move did not go as planned, although he did manage to assist the club win the Turkish Cup at the end of the season.
Nuno Espirito Santo was questioned about Worrall and a number of other players connected with leaving the club following his 45-minute cameo yesterday.
Nuno Espirito Santo delivers the verdict on Joe Worrall.
It shouldn’t have gotten this far for a man who lives and breathes Nottingham Forest Football Club.
But, here we are last season, Worrall appeared to be dropped after a disagreement with previous manager Steve Cooper.
That did not go over well with some supporters, and Worrall will now have to prove himself to another management.
Following the spectacular victory over League Two opponents yesterday, Espirito Santo was questioned about the players on the fringes of the squad.
He told Nottinghamshire Live, “They’re our players.” We take care of them since they are members of the club. We shall embrace, prepare, and then make decisions.
“We’ve got a long way to go. We must consider all variables and decide what is best for them and their careers. We are quite cautious in those instances.”
Worrall is unlikely to enjoy a respite at Forest.
Worrall is unlikely to feature for Forest in a competitive game again, as the Reds have a large roster.
Murillo, Willy Boly, and Andrew Omobamidele are all ahead of him, while Forest are hoping to add Nikola Milenkovic from Fiorentina.
Worrall has served Forest well, and he was a key member of the club that won promotion to the Premier League in 2021/22.
However, he has struggled in the Premier League and has made a number of mistakes in various games.
At 27 years old, the Nottingham-born defender would like first-team experience, and he has already been connected with several clubs.
Worrall has made 226 appearances for Forest, and as a fan, he’d welcome the opportunity to compete for a spot under Espirito Santo.
In our opinion, it is just not likely, and Forest will undoubtedly try to unload him during the transfer season.
