Steve Cooper will forever be an icon at Nottingham Forest, ending the club’s two-decade exile from the Premier League during the 2021/22 season.
The Welshman took over the club whilst they were bottom of the Championship, with just one point from the first eight games of the season, before somehow transforming the team after his appointment.
He led the Reds to the new Wembley for the first time, beating Huddersfield Town 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley – securing promotion to England’s top-flight.
After huge investment from owner Evangelos Marinakis, he kept the club up during their first term in the Premier League – beating Arsenal 1-0 in the penultimate game of the season, subsequently ending the Gunners’ title ambitions.
However, Cooper would lose his job halfway through the 2023/24 campaign, with the club lingering dangerously close to the relegation zone in December after a run of six games without a win.
It was an emotional departure, especially after everything he had achieved at the City Ground, leaving the next manager with a huge void to fill whilst also handing them the task of keeping the Reds in the Premier League.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s stats at Forest
Former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espírito Santo was the man chosen to replace Cooper, with his appointment unconvincing to many of the supporters.
However, back-to-back wins over Newcastle United and Manchester United during the festive period immediately got the fans on his side after his appointment.
The 50-year-old isn’t as much of a sweet talker compared to Cooper, but he’s a man who likes to stay out of the limelight and let the players do the talking on the pitch – with his side doing exactly that despite the challenges surrounding the club off the pitch towards the end of his first campaign at the helm.
Nuno ensured survival despite the club being hit with a four-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s PSR rules for the previous three-year period.
End-of-season victories against Burnley, Sheffield United and Fulham secured their Premier League status for another season, giving Nuno a chance to implement his own signings and tactics on the squad.
His side have made an excellent start to the new campaign, only losing one of the first seven league outings – even beating Liverpool at Anfield for the first time since 1969 thanks to a superb second-half strike from Callum Hudson-Odoi.
As a result, the Portuguese currently has a 30% win record, but leading Forest to have the second-best defensive record in the league so far this season.
The Reds have only conceded six goals from the opening seven matches of the 2024/25 campaign, with only Liverpool having a better record following the second intention break of the season.
However, he’s managed to achieve all his latest achievements without one player who he offloaded during his first transfer window in charge of the club just a couple of months ago.
The man who Nuno sold in January 2024
Midfielder Orel Mangala joined the Reds in a €15m (£12.7m) deal from German side Stuttgart during their first transfer window after promotion back to the Premier League.
The Belgian immediately slotted into the squad, starting alongside Lewis O’Brien, but the partnership was quickly abandoned after the Englishman was left out of the club’s Premier League squad after further arrivals.
However, Mangala remained a key part of the Forest side, making 31 appearances in all competitions during his debut campaign in the East Midlands.
The midfielder grabbed his first goal in the Garibaldi red, coming in the 2-1 defeat against Leeds United at Elland Road, in a night that looked as though Cooper was set to be sacked, but ultimately proved to be a turning point in the club’s season.
His second season on Trentside started in the same way as he ended his first, with the “unbelievable” Mangala, as dubbed by former loanee Dean Henderson, making 20 appearances in the Premier League up until the January transfer window.
Within his 20 appearances, he registered his second goal for the club, firing home from range during the 2-0 victory over Aston Villa – a huge win given their form that season, which saw Unai Emery’s side secure Champions League football.
It would be his last month as a Forest player, subsequently leaving the club under Nuno’s watchful eye, joining French side Lyon on loan until the end of the season, with a £10m loan fee attached to the deal.
The 26-year-old would move to the Ligue 1 outfit for £20m during the recent transfer window, taking his combined transfer to £30m – making the club a huge profit on the fee paid for him two years prior.
1) Brennan Johnson
2023/24
£47.5m
2) Orel Mangala
2024/25
£30m
3) Moussa Niakhate
2024/25
£27m
4) Odysseas Vlachodimos
2024/25
£20m
5) Britt Assombalonga
2017/18
£15m
Given the plethora of other options currently at the club, Nuno undoubtedly made the right call in allowing him to leave – especially considering his huge drop in value since his departure.
Orel Mangala’s market value in 2024
Despite his recent transfer to Lyon, Mangala is currently on a season-long loan at fellow Premier League side Everton as he aims to put a dent in Forest’s survival bid for Sean Dyche’s side.
He’s so far made three starts in the league for the Toffees but is yet to reignite his best form from the City Ground, only featuring for a combined 256 minutes since his temporary move.
However, his market value has taken a hit in recent weeks, with the Belgian now only valued at £9m, as per Football Transfers, despite his big-money transfer away from the East Midlands.
His value has subsequently decreased £21m from the fee received from his transfer, with the Belgian’s move helping Nuno’s side avoid a second season of punishment from the league for a potential PSR breach.
Whilst he was a valued member of the squad, players such as Ibrahim Sangare, James Ward-Prowse and Elliot Anderson are undoubtedly a level above Mangala.
Given the circumstances and the fee, it was a deal far too good for the club to turn down, with the club making the right call in allowing him to depart, especially considering his rapid decline in value.
Weekly wages: Nottingham Forest FC 2025/26 highest-paid players
Football FanCast take a look at Nottingham Forest’s top ten biggest earners for the 2024/25 season.
ByCharlie Smith
