Summer Transfer Window 2026

[Disco Stu]

8 minutes ago, VectisSaint said:

Agreed, some people seem to think the 2 CM roles are interchangeable. I don't like all these new fangled descriptions but if we have to use them Charles and Jander are 8s, Downes, JWP and Cam Bragg are 6s.

JWP is not a 6. WHU fans bemoaned the fact he was moved into the 6 role in his second season and never looked effective for them. His first excellent season for them was in an 8 role.

[VectisSaint]

2 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

JWP is not a 6. WHU fans bemoaned the fact he was moved into the 6 role in his second season and never looked effective for them. His first excellent season for them was in an 8 role.

I said I hate these descriptions. I don't really give a monkeys whether his first "excellent season" for them was in an "8 role" or what Wet Spam fans think, JWP has never and will never provide the same midfield role as Shea Charles or Casper Jander.

[Disco Stu]

Just now, VectisSaint said:

I said I hate these descriptions. I don't really give a monkeys whether his first "excellent season" for them was in an "8 role" or what Wet Spam fans think, JWP has never and will never provide the same midfield role as Shea Charles or Casper Jander.

You also said "I don't like all these new fangled descriptions but if we have to use them..."

So if you're going to use these silly categories, you're wrong. JWP plays a more advanced role and that's how he's capable of getting goals and assists like he was getting at West Ham.

[Chez]

2 hours ago, Chez said:

Good point. They had Murrillo and Milenkovic, then spent £40m on Diomande. They have a couple of young Brazilians Cunha and Morata. I guess they dont need a CB that can play RB as they have two fit/very good right backs now. 

Morata possibly joining West Ham. Forest must be signing a CB

[CanadaSaint]

14 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

JWP is a fine replacement for Charles. There's a bit of misremembering going on - Charles was in and out of the team last season, he wasn't a nailed on starter. He also only scored 4 goals and got 2 assists - I'd be happy to predict now that JWP will get at least double both of those figures.

I think you're right, but there's another angle. We naturally tend to focus on active contributions on the ball, but some of the off the ball stuff is just as important. On Saturday, JWP's game reading and smarts were on show. Several times he read Manning's forays up the left and dropped in to cover for him. That took away one of our key vulnerabilities - Manning's damaging tendency to over-commit and not get back in time. In those moments JWP made us a better team without even touching the ball.

[Teamsaint1]

10 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

I think you're right, but there's another angle. We naturally tend to focus on active contributions on the ball, but some of the off the ball stuff is just as important. On Saturday, JWP's game reading and smarts were on show. Several times he read Manning's forays up the left and dropped in to cover for him. That took away one of our key vulnerabilities - Manning's damaging tendency to over-commit and not get back in time. In those moments JWP made us a better team without even touching the ball.

Well made points. We are going to used his various attributes however we best can, and I expect that quite often to be in a deeper role. 
I think Tonda was though  quoted as saying that he has been brought in to increase goal threat from MF, and these stats show why he thinks that is possible : ( see #25) 
 

https://www.statmuse.com/fc/ask?q=most+goals+and+assists+for+midfielders+in+the+premier+league+all-time

Edited 1 hour ago by Teamsaint1

[Hopper]

Come to see if the bedwetting was as rife here as on twitter. Fortunately things seem a bit more level headed.

Abbott seems a sensible signing to me, provides good cover for Breezy if needed (I think we're much lighter here than CB)

And given we just dicked Millwall 5-1 with Wood and Schlotterbeck I'd be surprised to see him as a nailed on starter.

Reading comments from Forrest fans and they've all been very positive. Happy to see what he can bring.

I do think we may well go back in for Falchner too, especially if we've managed to turn his head.

Edited 28 minutes ago by Hopper

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Like so many of our SR transfer windows, this one has plenty of issues.

We’ve got reduced parachute payments; SR balancing the books and looking to maximise player sale prices where possible; possible personal fallout from last season’s failed promotion; players wanting to step up, even more because we didn’t go up.

The squad were very poor under Still but were on a great run under Tonda. We’ve seen the players at both ends of their form.

With the disappointing end to last season, Tonda has to keep them towards their best. All while other teams have strengthened, we’ve got new relegated teams with their own parachute payments, and opponents are used to our set up.

Looking at the personnel starting this season, compared to last:-

GK – Securing Peretz has been excellent business. Ramsdale will surely not want to be back up here, so still expect a loan move before the end of the window. That would leave ourselves needing a replacement, with Long being here primarily for the numbers. Improvement over start of 25/26.

DR – With Suga looking likely to leave on loan, we still have Bree, whose return form loan made a big difference last season, and Mads as back up, now that he’s fit. Improvement over start of 25/26.

DL – Manning came into a good run of form under Tonda. Finally looking like the player who did well at Swansea. A lot will depend on the defence around him. Welington is very capable backup/ pressure on his place. Larios looks likely to leave. Same as 25/26.

DC – Last season, we were thinking one of Wood, Edwards or Quarshie would supplant Stephens as THB’s partner. Now THB is leaving, Edwards already sold and Quarshie off on loan. Decent debut for Schlotterbeck, if too early to call. Weaker than 25/26.

MC – Charles scored some important goals, and was an excellent, cool-headed option mainly from the bench. But if JWP’s fitness is anywhere near what we all remember, we’ve got one of our better players from our first season back in the Championship.  It’s a test for Tonda to now manage the playing expectations of Jander, Downes and JWP. Bragg also improved last season. Improvement over start of 25/26.

AML – Scienza was a late addition to the squad last season (along with Azaz and Fellows). While he can fade, Edozie gets yet another opportunity to push on. More so, with the absence of Robinson or AA dropping back from up front. The roles are a bit clearer, this season. Same as 25/26.

AMR – Fraser was here at the start of last season, but his form had dropped markedly. I thought Fellows started with intent, before being put out of position. Matsuki’s work rate always impressed, but his skill improved with playing time. Tonda has a job to get the best balance in the side to compliment Scienza taking the ball on for shots on the left. A natural choice would be Fellows, but some improvement needed to keep Matsuki out. Same as 25/26.

AMC – SR have brought in Dobbin to support Azaz in this position, filling a gap left by Aribo and Matsuki filling in. The jury is out on whether AMC is really Dobbin’s best position. Perhaps he’s considered to be versatile to fill in across the midfield, perhaps losing some of Azaz’s qualities as a result. Improvement over start of 25/26.

FC – SR singed Damion Downs to lead the line in place of the injury hit Stwart. Larin’s loan, like Peretz and Bree’s return, made a difference. Securing him is an immediate improvement. We’ve also added Mubama on loan. Archer looked decent recently, although still stuck in a system that doesn’t suit him. Improvement over start of 25/26.

The main area of concern is central defence. And only as THB is just about to leave. Otherwise, we’ve improved in 5 areas and have the same players in the other 3

(Central defence and central midfield each covering 2 players, in case you were expecting it to add up to 11)

 

All that said, the main question is whether the squad is better than the one that ended the season on such a good run.

Charles is ably replaced by JWP. A getting fit Stewart rotated well with a getting up to speed Larin. But now that Larin is sharp, having a reliably fit back up in Mubama is a plus. Although Stewart was sharp, when fit.

Central defence is the issue. We could really have done with a new partner for THB. With him gone, we could now do with a replacement for him.

We’ve more retained the strength from the end of last season, rather than pushing any boats out to greatly improve on what we had.

[Saint86]

4 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

THB is nowhere near our best player.

Really does have to be said.. he's okay defensively, better than Stephens and wood, and happens to be very good at offensive set pieces (if bang average at defending them), he also gets bullied by physical attackers and isn't particularly fast.

I think it's mad how people are so traumatised at losing him. He was dog awful for 75% of the last 2 seasons. 

Needs to be reiterated, we were always likely to lose 2 of our best players as a minimum... I picked Charles and THB right at the start of the summer, and to get £60M for two luxury players in the champ is good businesses... Everyone wetting the bed should instead be bloody grateful it's not Peretz, Larin, azaz, scienza, Jander, or downes we've lost... Because they are all more critical to this side winning than THB.

No team in the 2nd tier needs a £20M CB, let alone a £30M one.

We've got 3 solid CBs on the books as it is, and the young forest lad is a good player and prospect. They'd likely all start for most championship sides... I think people are forgetting just how good our team is for this league - we will waltz into the playoffs - and if this means we don't overpay and keep money available to strengthen where needed, then so be it.

Edited 6 minutes ago by Saint86