What are your best and worst opening-day memories?published at 16:50 BST 16 June
16:50 BST 16 June
The World Cup may be less than a week old but the 2026-27 Premier League fixtures will be released on Friday.
And to get in the mood as Nottingham Forest prepare for a first full season under Vitor Pereira, we want your stories of opening-day games that have stuck in your minds most - both the good and the bad.
Pereira contract talks paused published at 12:15 BST 16 June
12:15 BST 16 June
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Vitor Pereira's contract talks with Nottingham Forest have been put on hold.
Both parties remain committed to the future and there is the intention of restarting discussions next season.
Pereira has one-year left on his current City Ground contract and would prefer to stay, despite interest from Al-Hilal. He did not engage with the Saudi Pro League side and wants to carry on in the Premier League with Forest.
A deal had been progressing and the club remain interested in renewing Pereira's contract, while the 57-year-old is keen on an agreement after he guided the Reds to top-flight safety.
But it has been decided now is not the right time to continue talks, although the risks in pausing any talks are recognised should Forest have a poor start to next season.
Pereira replaced Sean Dyche in February to become Forest's fourth manager of the season and they ended the campaign in 16th, five points above the bottom three.
They reached the Europa League semi-finals - making the last four in a European competition for the first time since 1982 - but lost to eventual winners Aston Villa,
Pereira won eight of his 20 games in charge, losing just six.
He was sacked by Wolves in November after 11 months at Molineux and has previously managed Olympiacos, where he worked with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.
Just-Wood partnership catches the eyepublished at 09:57 BST 16 June
09:57 BST 16 June
Chris Wood and Elijah Just performed some double act on Monday, linking up not once but twice to drive New Zealand to a point in their World Cup opener against Japan.
Media caption,
'Sensational' Wood and Just combine for New Zealand goals
'Loan out McAtee' - fans on who they would keep, loan and sellpublished at 14:05 BST 12 June
14:05 BST 12 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on who you would like Nottingham Forest to keep, loan and sell from the squad this summer.
Here are some of your comments:
Peter: Keep Jair Cunha - a real prospect in defence, especially in a back three with Murillo and Milenkovic. Loan James McAtee - he needs guaranteed game time to regain his confidence. Perhaps he could join one of the newly promoted clubs or a top Championship team, or maybe abroad. Sell Dan Ndoye as he hasn't shown progress over the season but is suited to European leagues and will probably have an excellent World Cup.
Paul: I'd keep Bakwa, who after a tough first season has shown glimpses of his potential. James McAtee needs a loan spell to get regular first-team football, and I'd sell Morato as we have younger and more reliable central defenders.
Michael: I'd keep Ndoye. Though he's not necessarily been on the fringes, he hasn't seemed to make his mark properly yet and I think he's hugely talented and could be a real asset for us moving into his second full season with a more stable structure at the helm. Of course have to keep Awoniyi too, for everything he has done for the club since his arrival as our most expensive signing of that first Premier League transfer window. I would loan out Cuiabano to give him some more experience, ideally over in France or Germany, as he's unlikely to break into the first XI this season with Murillo signing the extension and the Serbinator keeping it solid at the back. I'm not confident in John Victor, and having released Gunn and Ortega, this would mean we could go for a younger keeper with some experience to back up Sels this season and perhaps take the gloves for the future from there.
David: Jair Cunha has lots of potential and must stay. Opportunities will come next season and he will establish himself in the team. Loan out James McAtee as he needs to regain confidence. Sell Dan Ndoye as he has made very little impact.
Paul T: Keep - James McAtee - he is close to the finished product. Loan out - Kalimuendo - still not ready for the Premier League. Sell - Bakwa/ Morato - too slow or not suitable for the Premier League.
Giles: Regrettably but inevitably, sell Anderson, wish him the best and reinvest sensibly on two or three quality folk; keep McAtee or Hutchinson and loan out the other for more minutes and game maturity.
Sean: We should keep Kalimuendo, he showed with us and with Frankfurt that he's got a bit of pace and some goalscoring ability, but I also think he'd benefit from our two-striker system. Loan out Zach Abbott. He's got a bright future for us but he needs minutes on the pitch regularly now. Sell Hudson-Odoi. Controversial I know but as good as he has been for us, he does get injured regularly, and with competition from Bakwa and Hutchinson for his position, I'd rather give those two a chance.
Jesse: I think sell Anderson, loan out Cunha and keep Gibbs-White. Anderson wants to go and £120m+ is a huge amount of money. Cunha needs time to develop and Forest have strength in the central defence. Gibbs-White has been the driving force of Forest's attack this season and I think he's irreplaceable. If they sell Anderson, they are already getting enough money.
Anderson's statistics make 'incredible reading'published at 13:53 BST 10 June
13:53 BST 10 June
Nick Mashiter and Shamoon Hafez Football reporters
Image source, Getty Images
Four years since helping Bristol Rovers win promotion from League Two, Elliot Anderson faces what could be a defining summer.
Anderson is expected to be one of England's key players at the World Cup, and his stellar performances for Nottingham Forest have led to such significant transfer interest that he is likely to become the most expensive British footballer ever.
The 23-year-old has quickly become a key man for national team boss Thomas Tuchel - winning eight caps this season, just three years after being called up by Scotland.
He is expected to start alongside Declan Rice in the heart of midfield when they begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June (kick-off 21:00 BST).
As he prepares for that, his club future remains uncertain. Forest have already turned down a significant bid from Manchester City for Anderson, as owner Evangelos Marinakis holds out for a reported £110m.
He scored a superb equaliser to salvage an unlikely point at Etihad Stadium in March, and the Blues have long admired the player. They firmed up their interest last week with an opening bid and sources say they are expected to make another.
Anderson tops the club's list of midfield targets following the departure of captain Bernardo Silva, and such has been his rise that they will not be swayed from paying a fee that could become a record for a British player.
Anderson's eye-catching performances earned him a team of the season spot in BBC Sport's first end-of-season football awards - and his statistics make for incredible reading.
Among all top-flight players, Anderson managed to:
Have the most touches of the ball (3,300).
Win the most duels (297).
Win the most fouls (80).
Win possession the most times overall (306) as well as in the middle third (154) and defensive third of the pitch (127).
Among central midfielders, he also made the most line-breaking passes (376), completed the most overall passes (2,038) and made the most dribbles (95).
He became the first player since Declan Rice in 2019-20 to win possession more than 300 times in a Premier League season. Out of possession he worked hard too, his 1,895 high-intensity pressures were the most applied by a central midfielder.
Four to leave Forest as contracts endpublished at 12:57 BST 10 June
12:57 BST 10 June
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Stefan Ortega heads the departure list at Nottingham Forest.
The goalkeeper joined Forest from Manchester City in February and made 10 appearances, seven in the club's run to the Europa League semi-finals.
John Victor is expected to be fit for the start of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in January, with Matz Sels Forest's No.1.
Defender Willy Boly and goalkeeper Angus Gunn will also leave the club at the end of their contracts this month.
Striker Lorenzo Lucca, signed on loan from Napoli in January, is returning to the Serie A club having scored once in nine appearances.
"Everyone at Nottingham Forest thanks Willy, Angus, Stefan and Lorenzo for their contributions while on Trentside, wishing them the very best for their next steps," read a club statement.
Gossip: Man Utd will meet Anderson demandspublished at 08:13 BST 10 June
08:13 BST 10 June
Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is willing to satisfy the wage demands of Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, in order to bring him to Manchester United. (Mirror), external
What's the latest on Anderson?published at 09:45 BST 9 June
09:45 BST 9 June
Shamoon Hafez Manchester City reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Manchester City last week had an opening bid for midfielder Elliot Anderson rejected by Nottingham Forest.
The 23-year-old England international tops City's list of midfield targets following the departure of captain Bernardo Silva, and sources say they are expected to make another bid.
City have long admired Anderson and will not be swayed from paying a significant fee, which could become a record fee for a British player.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is known to be a tough negotiator and is understood to want more than the £105m Arsenal paid to sign midfielder Declan Rice from West Ham in 2023.
Anderson is currently at the World Cup, but England boss Thomas Tuchel has said squad members will have permission to finalise transfers provided it does not significantly affect the team's preparations.
BBC Sport has previously reported Anderson is leaning towards a move to City over rivals Manchester United.
Avoiding chaos and stadium development - fans on changes for next seasonpublished at 17:27 BST 5 June
17:27 BST 5 June
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your views on what one thing needs to change at Nottingham Forest before the new campaign and why.
Here are some of your comments:
John: Keeping the group of the current team has to be fundamental to continuing the impressive last 10 Premier League matches. We cannot start over with the heart of the team ripped out. The spine needs to stay; Gibbs-White, Anderson, Murillo and Sels just have to remain. Then get that main stand replaced and construction started. This will demonstrate the club's ambitions fully!
Kevin: Avoid the chaos of last season! A settled manager, a settled squad and get rid of Edu.
Matt: Unity. We need a united front between Vitor and the club for our summer transfer strategy. The quicker the incomings and outgoings are sorted, the better our pre-season training will be. I fear this will all hinge on the sale of Anderson, who I would love to stay, but realistically we'll need the sale to reinvest in the squad and the sooner the better.
Mossy: After the whistle was blown at the last game against Bournemouth, the next sound should have been bulldozers starting up to make a start on developing the stadium, years wasted on talks with the council will cost the club eventually. Mr Marinakis should have built a stadium elsewhere in Nottingham.
Ollie: Recruitment - simply put, Forest need to get the recruitment right in the summer to drive on up the table and achieve another taste of European football. With everything that's gone on with Edu and the signings made last summer, the players signed seemed to be for a certain style, and not one that suits the current team. I'm expecting some movement with the squad, but whatever that amounts to, it needs to be spot on, with a new striker being the priority.
David: We need to get on the front foot earlier this summer and bring in players to strengthen the squad in good time to allow the coaching staff to work with the whole squad as a group before the season begins. Last year we were too slow and too late and made some questionable signings which seemed to be panic-driven.
Edward: Get all the transfer business agreed and done as early as possible so there can be a calm, uneventful and transformative pre-season. We all know what happens when that isn't the case.
Souloukou to step down as Forest chief executivepublished at 17:24 BST 5 June
17:24 BST 5 June
Image source, Getty Images
Lina Souloukou is to step down from her role as chief executive of Nottingham Forest.
Souloukou has been in the position since January 2025.
In a club statement, Souloukou said: "It has been an honour to serve as the chief executive of Nottingham Forest. I have enjoyed my time here enormously and feel that we have made incredible progress under the ownership of Evangelos Marinakis."
'One-buyer market' may slightly reduce Anderson fee - Storeypublished at 12:04 BST 5 June
12:04 BST 5 June
Image source, Getty Images
The fee Nottingham Forest may eventually receive for Elliot Anderson may be "slightly deflated" because of there being a "one-buyer market" for the midfielder, says The i's chief football writer Daniel Storey.
Manchester City had had an opening bid for Anderson rejected by Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, but there is a growing expectation the 23-year-old will leave the City Ground this summer.
A potential fee could be a record for a British player and eclipse the £105m Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023.
"We have created an environment to let an exceptional footballer be the best version of himself, better than anyone thought he would be," Storey told BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast.
"One of the problems Forest have is they simultaneously want the fee to be as high as possible, which is absolutely right, and also would like a bit of a bidding war.
"Premier League clubs now selling at high prices generally takes out the world outside England bar two or three teams. There has never been reported interest from Bayern Munich or Real Madrid or Barcelona so we have a Premier League market."
Storey continued: "Manchester United were really keen but they have two or probably three midfielders to buy so I don't think they can go as high as the fee would be. So, effectively, we have a one-buyer market, which is Manchester City. In a one-buyer market, it is hard to avoid the fee being slightly deflated than what you'd like as City can wait it out and do their business towards the end of the window.
"But, City may well also want to do business early and the fee, even if it is slightly deflated, I think will still be at least £90m which is an enormous amount of money.
"We know he's going, we know he has to go, but it's all about how Forest replace him. It's hard to do when he's still at the club as it shows they're really happy to sell Anderson and then the fee drops a little again.
"There has been no sense of him kicking up a fuss, he seems a really good guy, so we are now just in that negotiation phase. My gut feeling is it will be around £100m which somehow both doesn't feel quite enough but is also more than double what Forest have ever sold a player for."
🎧Forest at the 2026 World Cuppublished at 08:44 BST 5 June
08:44 BST 5 June
A new episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast is now available to listen to and download on BBC Sounds.
David Jackson talks to journalist and Forest fan Daniel Storey before he heads to the USA to cover the World Cup.
Hear his thoughts on Elliot Anderson's inclusion in Thomas Tuchel's England Squad, the prospect of his move to Manchester City this summer, and Morgan Gibbs-White's exclusion despite an excellent season.
Listen below or on BBC Sounds here - and don't forget to subscribe to get each episode into your My Sounds feed.
With all 48 World Cup squads now confirmed, we look at how they shape up and compare with each other leading into the tournament.
Which clubs have the most players?
Looking just at the 20 clubs that made up the 2025-26 Premier League, only this season's top three have more players at the World Cup than Conference League winners Crystal Palace (12).
Including players out on loan over the season, Sunderland remarkably have as many representatives on the global stage as Chelsea and Liverpool (11), showing just how globe-trotting their recruitment was following promotion last summer.
The majority of Brentford, Everton and Leeds' squads can put their feet up and recharge their batteries for next season, with those clubs sending just four players each.
Nottingham Forest quickfire reviewpublished at 11:05 BST 3 June
11:05 BST 3 June
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
The turning point of the season was...
It depends which way you look at it. It could be the fall out between Edu and Nuno Espirito Santo last summer, which ultimately paved the way for Nuno's departure after just three games and the chaos that came in the following weeks and months.
Or it is appointing Vitor Pereira in February, who steadied the ship, reassured the players and guided Forest to safety.
This season has exceeded/not matched up to expectation because...
Forest's recent seasons have not been quiet - relegation battles or challenging for Champions League qualification - and this was no exception. It matched the expectation of upheaval but it did not meet what was demanded on the pitch. Forest wanted to build on last season's seventh place, especially after spending £180m, and did not plan for a season of struggle.
Based off performances this year, the player who could break through next campaign is...
Defender Zach Abbott is highly rated by Vitor Pereira, despite making only 10 appearances this season, and could make a further step up next term.
The one player/coach who deserves more credit is...
Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White grabbed most of the headlines but Nikola Milenkovic continued to do his job at the back, perhaps not as consistently as the previous season but who was? He remains crucial to Forest while striker Igor Jesus deserves plaudits in his role in Chris Wood's absence as he adapted to the Premier League in his debut season.
The goal for the summer has to be...
Stability. Vitor Pereira has already called for that and he will sign a new contract over the summer, having penned an 18-month deal when he joined in February. There needs to be calm, not chaos, over the summer.
Gossip: Forest to hold talks with Sangare amid Man Utd interestpublished at 07:54 BST 2 June
07:54 BST 2 June
Nottingham Forest will hold talks with 28-year-old midfielder Ibrahim Sangare over a new contract amid interest in the Ivorian from Manchester United and Besiktas. (Football Insider), external
