Given the success of Nottingham Forest’s signings this season, it’s easy to overlook some of the more dismal purchases from previous years.
Evangelos Marinakis’ signings for Forest this season couldn’t have gone any better, with major purchases in the summer being instant successes.
Elliot Anderson joined from Newcastle United in July and has helped Nuno Espirito Santo’s side score five goals from midfield, impressing enough to ensure that the injured Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare were not genuinely missed in the Forest lineup.
However, Nikola Milenkovic has perhaps outperformed Anderson. Milenkovic joined Forest from Fiorentina and has been immaculate at the back alongside Murillo, to the point that they have been compared to Arsenal’s defence in terms of quality.
At only £12 million, Milenkovic was a genuinely great piece of business by Marinakis, but not all of his defensive signings have been as successful. One particularly terrible agreement included a player who could be making a surprise return to the Premier League.
Former Nottingham Forest player Loic Bade set for Premier League
According to Fabrizio Romano, Loic Bade will return to the Premier League with Aston Villa, three years after his dismal tenure at the City Ground under Steve Cooper.
Bade signed on loan for Forest from Stade Rennais in his native France in 2022, with the centre-back hoping to assist Forest stay in the Premier League having being promoted from the Championship the previous season.
Surprisingly, Bade did not make a single appearance for the club and was rightfully returned in January after just making the matchday roster once.
Bade understood why Cooper didn’t play him given the intense competitiveness of being a newly promoted side, but it must have stung the Forest owner to see how well the Frenchman has done at Sevilla.
Tottenham were connected with Bade in 2023, but the deal never materialised. However, if Bade joins Villa, he would have the opportunity to face his former club during a vital stage of the season.
Forest might reunite with Loic Bade in a critical April encounter
Villa stay close behind Forest and others in the Premier League rankings, with Unai Emery’s team still aiming for a European spot.
Given that there are just seven league fixtures after the encounter, the team’s match in April could be significant.
Forest defeated Aston Villa at the City Ground in December, owing to Anthony Elanga’s very late goal. Bade doesn’t appear to have any ill will toward Forest, but he would love to get one over the club for his failed loan stay.
A loss for Espirito Santo’s side against Villa would signal the start of a series of games that should culminate in European football. Nobody could have predicted that Bade would play a role in preventing the charge.
