By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has sounded a warning to the club’s hierarchy over the need to bring in cover for Ola Aina before the transfer window closes, stressing the risks of over-relying on the Nigerian full-back.
Since joining from Torino, Aina has become a vital part of the Reds’ defensive setup.
However, a calf injury last season exposed Forest’s lack of depth in the position, ultimately derailing their European push. Nuno is determined not to repeat that mistake.
“First of all, let’s try to complete our squad. This is really important in the final days of the transfer market, and we still have the chance to win,” Nuno said after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.
“I would say we need three players – one goalkeeper more, and two full-backs, because you cannot live with the fear and uncertainty if something happens to Ola (Aina) and Neco (Williams).
“After these situations, what is important is Forest, not individual persons. We must have that conversation, and we will have it,” he added.
Forest were previously linked with a move for Samuel Osayi, but the defender instead opted to join Birmingham City.
That setback means the Reds will now have to re-examine alternative options if they are to properly rotate Aina and avoid another injury crisis.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
