The genius £25m January signing who could make Nottingham Forest genuine European football contenders

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Nottingham Forest are third on the Premier League table and are going from strength to strength

Nottingham Forest have been the surprise package of the 2024/25 English Premier League season. After 10 games, the league table shows the Tricky Trees in 3rd place, a position that would secure UEFA Champions League football.

Securing Champions League football by the season's end would be a miracle, rivalling only Leicester City’s 2015/16 title-winning season under Claudio Ranieri. The former European champions would be thrilled even with a Europa Conference League spot, having been absent from European competition since their 1996 UEFA Cup quarter-final loss to eventual winners Bayern Munich.

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Forest have a strong squad, but even clubs with elite teams seek improvements in every transfer window. With January approaching, Nuno Espirito Santo will likely have some targets in mind. Considering the team’s needs and the players available, they could do a lot worse than Chelsea outcast Ben Chilwell.

The England international wasn’t excluded from Chelsea’s team due to a lack of skill; rather, the club’s new owners and coach opted for a fresh squad. Chilwell’s skill set has never been in doubt when he is fit.

Currently, Forest deploy Spaniard Alex Moreno at left back. While Moreno, who was signed from Aston Villa, has been solid, Chilwell would be a clear upgrade and Chelsea would take happily £25 million for him if they were offered it today.

Chilwell, combining with former Chelsea teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi on the left, would enhance Forest’s attacking options. Additionally, Moreno, at 31, is not accustomed to playing 90 minutes week in, and week out, so the risk of burnout at the business end of the season is real. By contrast, Chilwell, still only 27, is used to playing consistently at the highest and most demanding level.

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Signing Chilwell would also give Espirito Santo a stronger option for wing-back if he decides to switch to his favoured back-three system, which served him well at Wolves. The English full-back is one of the best at balancing attack and defence, as demonstrated during Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League-winning campaign at Chelsea.

Chilwell could also be deployed as a traditional left winger. In games where Nuno Espirito Santo wants to adopt a highly pragmatic approach, he could play Chilwell on the left wing with the more conservative Alex Moreno behind him at left-back.

Beyond Chilwell's abilities on the pitch, his experience with clubs competing for European spots would be invaluable. There’s a major difference between playing for league survival and aiming for European qualification, and most Nottingham players aren’t yet accustomed to the pressure that comes with lofty targets. Chilwell’s presence could greatly benefit the team’s mentality.

One advantage of this potential transfer is that Chelsea would likely be open to a loan also with an option to buy, preferring to loan him out rather than keep him frozen from the matchday squad while still paying his wages. This deal would favour both clubs. Forest would gain an experienced player to support their European ambitions, and Chelsea would remove him from their wage bill, with the possibility of a summer transfer fee.

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