Nottingham Forest already have Neco Williams contingency plan, City Ground exit is inevitable
Nottingham Forest appear to be planning for life without Neco Williams following another star-studded campaign at the City Ground.
The 25-year-old is in his fourth season with the Reds, and with the right-back boasting two goals and four assists in 52 games, this term has been by far his most impressive.
Starring in both halves of the field has attracted a lot of attention from some big Premier League clubs, and it would appear that Vitor Pereira is resigned to losing one of his best players already.
Forest are certainly at risk of losing Williams to rivals, as well as multiple other stars, but new transfer links would suggest that plans are already being figured out to replace them this summer.
🔄 Nottingham Forest Transfer Update 🔄
Breaking news on signings, departures, and contract news from the Nottingham Forest boardroom.
VISIT THE FOREST TRANSFER HUBNeco Williams is attracting attention from Premier League giants
Football Insider understands that Evangelos Marinakis will back Pereira with a “big budget” during the summer, and that number could get even bigger should two or three stars leave.
Their Welsh full-back could definitely be one of them, so the Tricky Trees need a decent option to replace him ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
That’s exactly why Forest are eyeing a move for Galatasaray’s Roland Sallai. They’re not alone, though, with the likes of Aston Villa, Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland all keeping tabs.
| Neco Williams’ 2025-26 Premier League | Stats [FotMob] |
| Minutes played | 3116 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Chances created | 36 |
| Successful dribbles | 43.5% |
| Duels won | 56% |
| Tackles per 90 | 2.72 |
| Recoveries per 90 | 4.56 |
Despite naturally being a forward, even being able to play as a striker, the 28-year-old has been featuring as a right-back, and impressively as well, becoming one of the Turkish side’s most important players.
Who else is Vitor Pereira targeting in his first summer window?
It is clear that the Forest squad is in need of revamping, with the current team about to finish in the Premier League’s bottom six spots, having come through the other side of a relegation battle.
Many supporters are worried about the early transfer links, though, with Pereira targeting a player who used to feature under him at Wolves – Marshall Munetsi.
Football Insider understands that Forest are also interested in Shea Charles of Southampton, but that is unlikely to build a lot of confidence at the City Ground ahead of the summer.
Pereira needs to make some serious additions for the 2026-27 campaign. And that is without thinking about some of the potential exits in the coming weeks.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Nottingham Forest Insider Access
Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of the City Ground.