Does Nottingham Forest’s third place finish in the Premier League justify their spending in recent seasons?

Forest, under Steve Cooper, were promoted in May 2022 and signed a British record 22 new players that summer and made five loans. Their net transfer spend in the 2022–23 season was £142.8 million.

They were deducted four points for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules last season but strengthened their squad in the summer with the likes of Elliot Anderson and Nikola Milenkovic.

“There is now almost a justification for their crazy spending because they have a foothold in the Premier League,” said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5’s Live Monday Night Club. “Wherever they finish, they will not be relegated this season.”

Rory Smith of the New York Times added: “I don’t think we should whitewash their spending too much just because they’ve started the season well.

“The reason they were criticized for their spending was because so much felt like a waste. They signed a lot of players who are no longer there.

“They have simultaneously committed the money that you need to compete in the league while also being ruthless.”

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