Although the 2021/22 campaign is in its infancy, there will soon come a point where Nottingham Forest have some decisions to make.
Okay, it’s only October but there are certain players in the squad who will be out of contract in the summer.
Steve Cooper will have some big decisions to make in the coming months and we’ve assessed who could leave and who could exit the club.
Tobias Figueiredo
The central defender has earned himself a reprieve this season. He has started seven of Forest’s 11 league games.
He has seemingly turned a corner too. Although he can be erratic, those instances have been few and far between this season.
That said Figueiredo is 27 and despite playing 103 times for the Reds, there is plenty of competition at the back.
Cooper has spoken fondly of the defender and he will have a big decision to make over the Portuguese performer.
Verdict: Let him go.
Lewis Grabban
The Forest striker could provide Cooper with a real dilemma.
If he scores plenty of goals this season, it would seem foolish for Forest to send Grabban on his way.
The problem, however, is that the £6 million signing from Bournemouth will be 34 by the time the next season comes around.
Grabban is in good shape and whilst he’s scoring goals, Forest won’t want to lose him.
Verdict: One-year extension
Gaetan Bong
There really isn’t much to say here.
Bong was a strange signing, to say the least, and has only featured in a large number of games due to his relationship with Chris Hughton.
Although he’s been on the bench in recent weeks, that is more down to a lack of options at left full-back and he should drop down the pecking order soon.
Verdict: Let him go
Carl Jenkinson
The former Arsenal man isn’t thought to be training with the first-team squad and he’ll surely leave as soon as possible.
The signing has been a disaster from start to finish and Jenkinson hasn’t made a single squad so far this season.
Verdict: Let him go
Jordan Smith
The 26-year-old has made 54 appearances for the Reds but he’s not been in a league squad during 2021/22.
He’s at the age now where he really needs to be a first-choice goalkeeper and Smith should be allowed to leave when his contract expires.
Verdict: Let him go
Rodrigo Ely
This is an interesting one on the basis that he hasn’t played a game in English football just yet.
As a result, the jury will remain out and Forest will have to see how he adapts to the Championship.
For now, this one remains a mystery.
Verdict: Undecided
Tyrese Fornah
The Forest academy graduate has been praised by Cooper since his arrival and he regularly trains with the first team.
Fornah is a confident character and fancied his chances of a starting spot during pre-season.
Now, he finds himself with plenty of options ahead of him and it’s somewhat surprising he didn’t go out on loan.
There is enough to suggest he has something to offer, however, and next season could be his year.
Verdict: Keep him
Young Forest talents
There are several members of Andy Reid’s under-23 side who will be out of contract.
Right now, it’s difficult to say what will happen with a lot of those.
Will Swan and Julian Larsson are both out of contract but as they’re both scoring, they might earn extensions.
Ateef Konate is out of contract too. He has made his first-team bow this season and is performing well in Premier League 2.
Jayden Richardson has looked sharp too, although at 21 he might fancy earning a contract to play regularly elsewhere.
Goalkeeper Jordan Wright, defenders Riley Harbottle, Baba Fernandes and Sam Sanders are all also out of contract.
Decisions will need to be made by Cooper and it’ll be interesting to see which young guns are kept and who departs.