Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is sure that Nottingham Forest will not have any PSR concerns this season.
The Reds were deducted four points last season for failing to comply with Premier League financial criteria. The ambiguity surrounding the matter persisted from January, when they were charged with violating Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), until May, when they learned that their appeal against the fine had been denied.
The saga contributed to Nuno’s difficult first few months in command, but he managed to navigate Forest to safety and hopes for a smoother ride this time around. That’s because he thinks the club “did well” in balancing the books before last month’s accounting deadline.
June 30 was always going to be a significant date in the summer, as it marked the end of the applicable PSR evaluation period. When asked about the significance of avoiding another points deduction, Nuno told the Reds’ YouTube channel following Saturday’s 3-0 friendly success over Chesterfield: “Yes, and the club did well, so we don’t have to worry about that issue anymore.”
The PSR deadline generated a brief transfer window in which clubs sought to comply with the restrictions. Forest avoided having to consider selling any of their valued assets for low prices before the end of last month. As it was, they made good money from the opportune sales of Orel Mangala, Moussa Niakhate, and Odysseas Vlachodimos.
Nuno hinted that players who had returned from loan periods could leave. However, there are plans to enhance the squad further, with four additions so far – one of them, Marko Stamenic, will spend the season on loan at Olympiacos.
When asked about the advantages of doing some business early, Nuno replied: “We have several (signings), and the team is not yet closed. We still have some things to decide. We are dealing with players who have been on loan; we need to take a hard look at them and make the best decisions for them.
“More importantly, we were able to keep our players. I’m very glad with that – that we as a club are maintaining our most important players, because I believe that after last season’s work, this is what will help us develop this season.”