Nottingham Forest’s recruitment practices have occasionally fallen short of expectations over time.
To be fair, some of it was essential when the club gained promotion, but last season, the club factored in the cost of a four-point deduction for overspending.
When it came to signing Championship players, Steve Cooper helped to balance the roster.
After lifting the Reds from the bottom of the Championship, he only signed five new players during the January transfer window.
Three of them, Sam Surridge, Steve Cook, and Keinan Davis, had a significant impact on the club as they campaigned for promotion.
Another player was Richie Laryea, who made a few substitute appearances for the club before being loaned out and finally sold.
The second player who signed that month has since found another loan club, his third since joining Forest.
Jonathan Panzo leaves Forest for the third time.
It’s official: Panzo has twice as many loan clubs since joining Forest as he has professional outings.
The centre-back has joined Evangelos Marinakis-owned Rio Ave on loan for the rest of the season, according to the club’s official website.
Cooper signed the central defender from Dijon in January 2022, and he was always considered a long-term investment.
Forest’s elevation has done Panzo no favours, and after only one Championship appearance for the Reds, he has been loaned to Coventry until 2022/23.
He helped the club reach the Championship play-off final but was not signed permanently following their defeat.
Last season, he was on loan at Standard Liege but failed to make an impact on the team.
Panzo has now moved to Portugal, where he will complete the remaining season of his Forest deal on loan.
Panzo is the right player at the wrong time for Forest.
The 23-year-old appeared to be a useful signing when he originally arrived at the club, but circumstances have not worked in his favour.
Had Forest not been so fortunate in winning promotion, Panzo might have had a shot in the Championship the following season.
The fact that the Reds loaned him out to Coventry implies that was the level they considered appropriate for a player of his caliber.
Instead, Forest gained promotion and was compelled to sign players at that level.
Panzo is a promising teenager who helped England’s under-17 team win the World Cup in 2017.
Sadly, with his contract expiring next summer, it appears like the Forest fan base will never witness Panzo’s full potential.
