Nottingham Forest star looks completely different in pre-season training, fans should be excited

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Nottingham Forest are going to be on the lookout for a host of new players during the transfer window.

Nuno Espirito Santo has taken his squad to Portugal for pre-season training and although he will hope to see some new faces come to the club, it will be a big season for a host of players currently at the City Ground.

Players like Ibrahim Sangare, Jota Silva and Morato will all hope to kick on this season, whilst Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha will hope to enjoy strong starts to life at Forest.

For one player, he will be hoping to enjoy a new lease of life at Forest in 2025/26 and it would appear that he’s been putting the work in during the close season.

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Taiwo Awoniyi looks fitter and sharper in Forest pre-season training

It’s hard not to feel some sympathy for Awoniyi after his serious injury sustained in the third-from-final game of last season against Leicester.

Awoniyi clashed with a post and after playing on for the final stages of the game, he was placed in an induced coma two days later and needed life-saving surgery on a ruptured intestine.

The Nigerian has bounced back with aplomb though it would seem and he looks a lot fitter in the training photos and videos that the club have been sharing this pre-season.

Awoniyi got some minutes under his belt in the friendly against Monaco and although he didn’t get many opportunities, he did look sharper in possession of the ball.

Awoniyi could earn Forest reprieve

The striker might now earn another chance to shine at Forest on the back of a lack of any real summer activity.

Although players will definitely arrive at the City Ground before the season gets underway, Awoniyi might get the chance, given the four competitions the squad will play in.

It would be pretty callous of Forest to simply offload Awoniyi after such a serious injury and with all he’s done for the football club, he might just earn another chance.

Awoniyi is a very likeable member of the Forest squad and now, the club might just give this new-look centre-forward a chance to see if he can get back to his best.