Nottingham Forest news including the latest headlines and transfer rumours from the summer window, including Nottinghamshire Live’s perspective on the Carabao Cup second round draw with Newcastle United.
This week, all eyes have been on Nottingham Forest’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth, but a closer look at the club’s schedule has sparked some intriguing speculations about the future.
Following the end of the Carabao Cup’s first round on Wednesday evening, the draw for the next stage was held. All Premier League sides not on European duty are eligible to go to the following round, and Forest’s name was drawn with Newcastle United’s for an all-top-flight showdown.
While a lower league team would have been an easier job on paper for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, tough draws early on are what differentiate the best from the rest. The match versus the Magpies is scheduled for either Tuesday, February 27 or Wednesday, February 28.
With that said, Nottinghamshire Live gives you the latest from the City Ground during this busy week of news and transfer speculation…
Elliot Anderson responds to the Magpies reunion.
The first story to emerge from Wednesday night’s cup draw was the reunion of summer recruit Elliot Anderson with his boyhood club.
He would have already marked November 9, 2024, and February 22, 2025, on his calendar, as those are the dates of the two teams’ forthcoming Premier League matches at the City Ground and St. James’ Park, respectively. This much sooner arrangement puts the midfielder on track for a speedy reunion with his former teammates.
Anderson moved to Instagram to express his joy in a wordless post on the draw, repeating the club’s article confirming their second round opponents and using a smiling face and chef’s kiss hand signal emojis.
According to Nottinghamshire Live, he was one of Newcastle’s most promising young players and now hopes to advance his career at the City Ground. An environment with similar young talents can help bring out the best in the young man, who has a big season ahead of him. A standout performance against the club that only allowed him to depart in the early stages of his Forest career would boost his confidence.
Newcastle offers Sandro Tonali clarity.
Last year, after signing for Newcastle United, Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali was banned from competitive football for ten months for violating betting laws. This month’s Carabao Cup match was set to coincide with his return to action, and the club has now tried to clarify.
In a message to X, they said: “We can announce that Sandro Tonali will return to selection on Wednesday, August 28 following the conclusion of his ten-month ban from competitive football.”
This means that, depending on the date of the fixture, Eddie Howe will be able or unable to call in the Euro 2021 winner for the Forest match. Both parties will therefore eagerly await the EFL’s decision.
Nottinghamshire Live says: Any advantage, no matter how tiny, might determine Forest’s progression, thus they would naturally prefer not to face a player with Tonali’s natural ability. However, he has been out of action for a long time and may not have the same impact as someone who has appeared on a regular basis. His return would raise the stakes of the encounter, so take up the challenge!
