Nottingham Forest midfielder Remo Freuler signed for the Reds in 2022, ending a long association with Atalanta. On Sunday, he got the chance to say a proper goodbye to the supporters of the Bergamo-based club.
Freuler has endured a pretty difficult 2022/23 campaign. He did look pretty steady before the World Cup but ultimately he hasn’t seemed to suit the style of a team who doesn’t have much possession.
The 31-year-old found himself out of the team for the final stages of the campaign. He didn’t make a single appearance during the final six games as Forest won three and drew two to secure Premier League survival.
Interestingly, Freuler did find himself captaining the side earlier in the season. With Joe Worrall out of the reckoning and Ryan Yates injured it was the 55-cap Switzerland international who stepped up.
With the sort of CV that Freuler has, he’s not become a bad player. It seemed quite clear towards the end of last season, however, that the style Forest deploy doesn’t get the best out of the midfielder.
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Freuler signed a three-year contract with the Reds last summer. Whether he sees that out remains to be seen, with Forest already being linked with other midfield options for this summer’s window.
Forest star Freuler says proper goodbye to Atalanta fans
The midfielder was in attendance as Atalanta secured a return to the Europa League on Sunday. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team defeated Monza 5-2 to book their place back in Europe.
After the game, Freuler caught up with some of his former teammates. Furthermore, they actually invited him onto the pitch to receive a warm round of applause from the main stand inside the club’s Gewiss Stadium.
It’s clear that the midfielder is well respected by the Serie A outfit. He lapped up the applause and gave them a wave in response as he got the chance to say a proper goodbye.
Freuler made 260 appearances for the Italian club. He scored 21 goals and registered 23 assists, playing for the club in the Champions League during his time with Atalanta.
What the future holds remains to be seen for Freuler. If Forest are going to try and dominate possession in games, then keeping him around might prove useful.
If they’re going to continue with the counter-attacking approach that served them well recently, then letting Freuler leave might be the best option for all parties.