Nottingham Forest were active in the transfer market again during the summer transfer window, with Ibrahim Sangare the club’s most expensive signing.
It proved a quieter summer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign than it had been 12 months previous. Sangare was the pick of the bunch from a Forest perspective, however, with lots of players settling in nicely.
Forest lost to West Ham 3-2 prior to the international break. Domestic football returns on Saturday when Brighton are the visitors on Trentside.
With the third international break of this season upon us, we’ve assessed Forest midfielder Sangare and given him an appraisal on his time at the club so far.
Sangare to Forest: What’s the background?
This proved to be a saga that ran throughout the summer. Eventually, Forest managed to get a deal over the line with just minutes of the transfer window remaining.
Forest had identified Sangare as a potential signing very early in the summer. There were talks that the two parties would sit down after Forest played PSV in pre-season to try and thrash out a deal.
Sangare cost Forest a fee of £30 million when he did sign for the Reds on transfer deadline day. The move came about after Forest sanctioned a deal that saw Brennan Johnson move to Tottenham.
How has he looked during the first two months?
It’s fair to say that there is more to come from Sangare at Forest. The player has started every match since he arrived at the club and has done some good things.
Against Luton, Nottinghamshire Live journalist Sarah Clapson said he was ‘much improved’ and that was a fair assessment following the 2-2 draw.
Against West Ham, Sangare produced arguably his best performance in a Forest shirt. Micah Richards called the midfielder ‘magnificent’ that day, with his pass into Morgan Gibbs-White leading to a goal for Forest.
What does the future hold?
Sangare is a long-term contract at Forest. He will remain integral to the team’s fortunes under Steve Cooper and it appears the head coach fancies him in the box-to-box role.
The 25-year-old could face a suspension on the horizon. He collected four yellow cards in his opening six matches for the Reds and one more would see him sit out of a game.
Sangare looks like a player who will make the grade in the Premier League. Cooper will continue to work with him on the training pitch and it does appear he’s getting better with every performance.
Statistically speaking: Ibrahim Sangare
Who Scored shows some interesting statistics on Sangare and his time at Forest so far. Despite only making seven appearances, he sits second on the list of every player in the squad when it comes to successful tackles.
Only Nicolas Dominguez with 26 eclipses the 25 that Sangare has made and that highlights the player’s strengths.
Sangare also sits top of the charts when it comes to passes blocked with 11 in his seven outings and he’s third when it comes to interceptions.
The Ivorian has made 180 successful short passes and has also won 21 aerial challenges that he’s faced in a Forest shirt.
The verdict
It’s been a steady start to life in England for Sangare. Solid if unspectacular would probably be a fair assessment and he will know that he can play better than he has so far.
That doesn’t mean he’s performed badly, however. Some fans have criticised him since he came to the club and but for a patchy performance against Liverpool where he cost the Reds a goal, he’s been largely fine.
Sangare is trying hard to get himself up to the demands of the Premier League. It won’t happen overnight for the midfielder but there has been enough evidence so far to suggest he will become an excellent signing for the Reds.
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