‘Absolutely amazing’… David Phillips stunned by £13.3m Nottingham Forest ace who barely gets a mention

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Nottingham Forest have had a number of top players so far during the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

The Reds are third in the Premier League after winning five and drawing four of the 10 games played so far.

Pundits are starting to change their minds over Forest with Gary Lineker the latest to do that.

Robbie Earle doesn’t believe that Forest will go down now this season and the foundations have been laid for a really positive campaign.

Forest have Chris Wood bang in form but littered throughout the squad are a number of players currently playing superbly well.

The Reds recruited exceptionally well in the summer and ultimately the club are now reaping the rewards on the pitch.

• READ MORE: Ex-Forest player now wanted by two Premier League clubs for £50m

David Phillips hails Alex Moreno for Nottingham Forest form

The Spaniard signed for Villa in 2023 for £13.3 million having decided not to join Forest from Real Betis in the summer of 2022.

He did well for Villa in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign but last season struggled with a hamstring problem.

With Villa reaching the Champions League, they targeted other players in Moreno’s position and that freed him up to join Forest.

He’s been in fine form since checking in and now Phillips – who finished third with Forest in 1994/95 – has raved about the left-back.

He told the Forest Focus podcast: “Moreno has come on loan from Aston Villa.

“In his last game…you look at what he actually did during the course of the game against West Ham, he was superb. Absolutely amazing.

“It’s a great ball for the first goal for Chris Wood but his performance all-around was absolutely superb.”

Loan transfers represent clear shift in Forest transfer strategy

Last season, Forest utilised the loan market in abysmal fashion and almost paid the price with relegation.

Andrey Santos was signed on loan from Chelsea and played for just seven minutes in the Premier League before being sent back in January.

Elsewhere, Giovanni Reyna signed on loan and had little impact, whilst Nuno Tavares also struggled somewhat.

This season, the club’s two loan players are Moreno and James Ward-Prowse with both players boasting Premier League experience.

Forest did great business to get those two players in – with Moreno particularly exciting.

The Reds have looked much more balanced defensively with his ability to use his left-foot naturally and hopefully a deal can be struck to sign him permanently.