Nottingham Forest handed PSR boost in hunt for £40m Brentford star
Nottingham Forest handed PSR boost in hunt for £40m Brentford star
The very PSR rules that were such a blight on Nottingham Forest’s second season back in the Premier League could now play into their hands as they look ahead to the summer transfer window.
The Reds suffered a points deduction last term for breaching the Premier League’s controversial player spending rules which could easily have seen them pushed back into the second tier.
Instead, they finished fourth from bottom, albeit six points clear of the drop zone, and are now challenging at the top end of the table in one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the season.
That said, much of the January transfer window at the City Ground was spent in a vain attempt to bolster Nuno Espirito Santo’s attacking resources to help push on with a bid to qualify for Europe next season.
A late bid was made for Brentford forward Yoane Wissa, a move quickly rebuffed by the London club, but PSR fears mean Forest could have more success chasing the 28-year-old come the summer.
According to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, the Bees are running at an underlying loss of £35m, largely down to rising player costs, a factor that ultimately could bring them to the attention of the Premier League’s accountants on the next day of PSR reckoning.
And in light of that, Brentford may be more amenable to selling some of their more desirable assets – including 11-goal Wissa. He is rated at £40m by the Bees, although Forest are reported to have offered no more than £18m last month.
And in a further boost for Forest this summer, the rolling three-year PSR accounting period means their £67m loss for 2022/23 will be removed from consideration before the next transfer window opens, giving Nuno more spending power to boost his squad.
Top-flight clubs voted last week to extend the use of the current PSR rules, meaning they will be around for a while yet as a means of controlling spending, however unpopular they are with the likes of Forest, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Everton.
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