GOOD NEWS: Kudos to Evangelos Marinakis as Nottingham Forest strike gold after recent transfer market reveal underrated GEM value more than Elanga

GOOD NEWS: Kudos to Evangelos Marinakis as Nottingham Forest strike gold after recent transfer market reveal underrated GEM value more than Elanga.

Nottingham Forest have certainly splashed the cash since returning to the Premier League in 2022 to ensure they stay in League One. So far, it’s worked, with the men at Garibaldi Red surviving relegation in each of their first two seasons back in the division.This campaign, Forest have fared even better. The Midlanders are fifth in the top half of the standings on 19 points. Their goal difference means they are outside the Champions League qualification places, having lost only two games so far.Although they have already spent a lot of money in the three summers since promotion, the summer of 2023 has been really important for Forest.Forest’s summer signings in 2023Forest’s most expensive summer signing was defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare. The Ivory Coast international, who is a fully-fledged international player, moved to the City Ground for £30m.When he became available, he became an important player for the club. In his first season, the central outfielder missed part of the campaign due to an international call-up to AFCON, and currently has a hamstring injury which has kept him out for most of the 2024/25 season. Sangare has only racked up 21 appearances for the club so far.Other notable signings this summer have been Chris Wood, Callum-Hudson Odoi and Anthony Elanga. This trio have become Forest’s favoured front three this season under Nuno Espirito Santo and the investment has proved to be a wise decision.Wood has the most goals for the Tricky Trees this season with eight, while Swedish winger Elanga has two assists, bettered only by Elliot Anderson, who has three. Cobham Hudson-Odoi also scored two goals.Undoubtedly, the signings Forest made in 2023 have paved the way to success this season. This group of players certainly has a good chance of helping the club return to Europe.However, these signings were so good that another player joined in the summer who was undoubtedly better than the others. That is Murillo, who was certainly an excellent investment.Murillo’s transfer value in 2024The Midlands club signed young Brazilian defender Murillo from Corinthians for £15 million at the end of the 2023 transfer window. He has since become a key player for the club and has been described as “dominant” by football analyst Ben Mattinson.The 22-year-old has made 47 appearances for Forest so far. He was a key figure in the club’s last campaign, which narrowly avoided relegation, appearing in 32 of the 38 Premier League games, playing a total of 2793 minutes. The young defender has scored one goal and two assists in his career at the City Ground.He has been an ever-present this season, playing 90 minutes in every Forest Premier League game. In the last game against Newcastle United, he even got on the scoresheet and gave his team the lead in a 3-1 defeat.His impressive performances at the heart of Forest’s defence caught the attention of one of England’s biggest clubs. According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are said to be “seriously considering” Murillo.The Reds are reportedly set to pay more than £70 million, which would give Forest a great return on the £15 million he originally paid. His value has increased dramatically, rising by 366% since he was signed last summer.Losing one of our most important defenders would not be good for the City Ground. Having said that, it is hard to turn down the kind of money Liverpool are willing to pay for Murillo.Whether he stays or goes, the defender was certainly an incredible investment for Forest.