Nottingham Forest must finally shell out £15k-p/w for Cooper to sign

It's safe to say that Nottingham Forest's dealings in the transfer market since promotion to the Premier League have been flawed, with the Reds signing 34 new players since their play-off win over Huddersfield Town in 2022.

Many of the additions have proved to be money well spent, with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo on the way and already advertised for a £50m+ transfer fee in the summer.

The club won't want to lose any of their star players, but given the recent PSR violation points, owner Evangelos Marinakis may have to sell one of the two to avoid further penalties.

However, the club may be able to sell a few players to combat any breach of the rules, with the likes of Odysseas Vlachodimos already rumored to be leaving the City Ground ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Another player could be set for an exit, with the Reds needing to shake off a flop that has not been seen at the club since the opening months of Forest's first season back in the Premier League in 23 years.

Lewis O'Brien figures at Nottingham Forest

After defeating Huddersfield Town in the play-off final, the Reds decided to raid the Terriers with their key players, signing two players when they were promoted.

The club bought Harry Toffolo and Lewis O'Brien for a combined £10m – each player worth £5m each – a fair price for two players brought in as team players rather than starters.

While Toffolo remained at the club under Nuno Espírito Santo, O'Brien suffered a major setback, with the 25-year-old midfielder spending the 2023/24 season on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship.

However, last season he made 17 appearances for the Reds in all competitions, scoring once in their 3-2 defeat to Fulham at the City Ground in the opening months of the campaign.

His temporary return to England's second tier, unfortunately, did not do enough to fit into Nuno's plans, and O'Brien is set to leave the City Ground this summer amid interest from recently relegated Sheffield United.

How much does Lewis O'Brien earn at Nottingham Forest

Despite not featuring for the club in over 18 months, Forest are still paying O'Brien a hefty salary, putting in £15k-a-week at the City Ground, according to Capology.

He would earn a total of £800k in his first season at Trentside and when you add up his £5m fee to his total salary, it would appear that the club have paid him £5.8m during his time at the club – a huge sum. due to no impact on Trentside.

It's a shame the midfielder's move didn't work out as O'Brien arrived at the club with real talent after his impressive campaign with Huddersfield last season, which saw him miss out on the club's player of the year award. .

However, given the club's current financial situation, they should be ruthless in the market, offloading players who are unfortunately no longer at the required level.

Despite the drop in stock since his move to the East Midlands, the club will still be able to pay a decent fee for his services, and his departure will go a long way in helping the Reds avoid relegation next season.