Nottingham Forest have endured a season that the supporters will remember for a lifetime, still having the opportunity to secure Champions League football with four games left of the season.
The Reds have gone from relegation strugglers to European hopefuls in just one campaign under Nuno Espírito Santo’s guidance, which has undoubtedly been one of the stories of the year.
Their low-block and counter-attacking style has taken countless Premier League sides by storm, allowing them to produce the performances and results that have catapulted them to huge success.
No one could’ve predicted the rise endured by the club in the last few months, with many pundits across the United Kingdom predicting Nuno’s men to get relegated before a ball was kicked.
Numerous players have stepped up to the plate in the last few months, aiding their unlikely ambitions of securing a place in the Champions League and looking to be worth every penny of the fee paid for their signature.
Sangare & Anderson’s stats for Forest in 2024/25
Ibrahim Sangare joined Forest in a £30m deal from Dutch side PSV, looking to nail down his place at the heart of the midfield, but nearly two years on, it’s safe to say things haven’t gone as planned.
The Ivorian has massively struggled with injuries, making just 30 appearances in his two seasons, 12 of which have come this term after missing six months with a hamstring issue.
The same can’t be said for £35m signing Elliot Anderson, who’s been a crucial player to Nuno this campaign, featuring in all but one Premier League outing to date.
He’s managed to notch eight combined goals and assists during his first season at the City Ground, leading to admiration from Liverpool – highlighting his development in the East Midlands.
At just 22, Anderson has bags of time to improve further throughout his career, potentially having a huge role to play in any European tour endured throughout 2025/26.
Despite the aforementioned pair being the two most expensive additions in their history, one other first-team member is now worth more than the duo, showcasing his own rise under Nuno at the City Ground.
The Forest star who’s now worth more than Sangare & Anderson
The next couple of weeks are vital to Forest, with the financial benefits of securing Champions League football massively boosting their ambitions of recruiting top-level talent.
Such a qualification would also boost their current PSR standing, pulling them further away from any form of breach, which would result in yet another points deduction.
However, any chances of finishing within the top five could rely on winger Anthony Elanga, with the Swedish star producing countless moments of magic in recent times to help the side reach their current standing.
The 23-year-old joined the club from Manchester United for just £15m back in the summer of 2023, looking to be an absolute bargain given the levels produced since his transfer.
He managed to achieve a total of five goals and nine assists in all competitions during his debut season on Trentside, before notching six goals and ten assists in the current campaign – leading to journalist Simon Stone labelling him as “superb”.
Arguably, his most iconic effort of the year was his 85-yard run and goal against his former employers, helping Nuno’s side secure a 1-0 victory in the East Midlands back in April.
He’s only played a maximum of 45 minutes in four of the Reds’ last five outings in all competitions, with the four losses during that time appearing to be no coincidence.
Games played
34
Goals & assists
15
Pass accuracy
77.4%
Chances created
1.8
Dribbles completed
0.96
Fouls won
1.47
Recoveries made
3.44
Crosses completed
1.34
As a result of his impressive showings since his transfer, Elanga is now valued at £30m by Transfermarkt, doubling the fee they paid for his signature in 2023, highlighting his rise since joining the club.
Such a figure is higher than those of Sangare and Anderson, who are now both valued at £23m and £25.5m respectively – with the latter being extremely harsh given his impressive season in 2024/25.
His tally of 30 combined goals and assists for Forest showcases how threatening he’s been in the final third, having the ability to play a key role in their potential Champions League campaign next year.
However, if they are to finish the job in the next couple of weeks, Elanga must start each one of the remaining fixtures, with his inclusion massively increasing the club’s chances of ending their fairytale season on a high.
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