Evangelos Marinakis wants Nottingham Forest to be ‘a dominant force’ once again

The Reds have won two of their opening four games, including a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis wants his club to dine at the top table of English football again (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis says his club are on a path to becoming a “dominant force in English football”.

After securing survival in their first Premier League season in 23 years last term, Forest are looking to kick on and have made a decent start, winning two of their four opening games, including a 1-0 win at Chelsea on Saturday.

Marinakis has again invested heavily, with a splurge of signings on transfer deadline day as seven players arrived at the City Ground.

Divock Origi, Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Nicolas Dominguez were among those and Forest now look to have a much stronger squad than last year.

And Marinakis, who has also made a significant investment in the club’s infrastructure, wants to see his club back at the top table of English football.

“Our vision for the club is clear and unwavering: we are on a path to re-establish Nottingham Forest as a dominant force in English football,” he said in a letter to fans.

“This journey is not just about the short-term, it’s about building a sustainable future. We are investing in youth development, nurturing young talent, and building a squad that can compete at the highest level for years to come.

“The players we have brought in are fighters and winners who understand and believe in our vision for the future of this great club.

“When players of the talents of those we have brought in this summer choose Nottingham Forest over the other dominant European clubs chasing their signatures, you should know that they choose us because we have shared with them our vision and they have fully invested in what it is we want to achieve.”

Forest were able to recoup over £45million on Brennan Johnson, who was sold to Tottenham, and Marinakis paid tribute to a player who came through the City Ground ranks.

“He is the ultimate young professional and his contributions to the club he loves have been enormous – helping us achieve promotion back to the Premier League and instrumental in helping us retain that status on the final home game of last season,” the owner added.

“In moving to Tottenham Hotspur he has also provided his boyhood club with the financial means to reinvest and continue to grow.

“We thank him for being part of our family and giving so much of himself to us. Go well, Brennan, be strong and healthy and we wish you every success.”