Three winners and losers from Ange Postecoglou’s arrival at Nottingham Forest including new record signing

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Nottingham Forest are set for a huge change at the helm as Nuno Espirito Santo is out, and now, Ange Postecoglou is expected to step in as the new manager.

The City Ground outfit have been touted with a change in management for a few weeks, since Nuno Espirito Santo’s outburst surrounding his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis during a press conference.

With the international break in full flow, Nottingham Forest have decided to sack Espirito Santo, bringing an end to his successful reign at the club.

There are several free agent managers available, but it seems as though Postecoglou will join Forest as their next head coach.

It’ll be a departure from the more conservative football under their previous manager, towards a more high-tempo, high-energy style that can create chaos.

For some stars, that’ll be a big win, while others may struggle to adapt under a new dynamic.

So, with that said, here’s a look at three winners and three losers at Nottingham Forest after Ange Postecoglou’s arrival.

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Nottingham Forest winners after Ange Postecoglou hiring

Morgan Gibbs-White

Morgan Gibbs-White impressed over the past year as one of the driving factors behind Nottingham Forest’s return to the top of the Premier League.

The England international was a mixture of creative for his team and clinical when given a chance in front of goal.

Some of that worked from having plenty of space on the counter, but under Postecoglou, some of that could change for the better.

The new manager is likely to bring in a new pressing style that could create plenty of chances for the star to create with space in front of him.

Gibbs-White’s new Nottingham Forest contract certainly hints at him being an important player in the setup for the future and one who could be key to the Postecoglou era.

Omari Hutchinson

Nottingham Forest signed Omari Hutchinson this summer for a club-record transfer fee from Ipswich Town, hopeful he can bring a mixture of quality now with potential for the future.

There were raised eyebrows, however, when the England youth international was omitted from the Europa League squad for the league phase.

It perhaps hinted at where Hutchinson was in the pecking order for Espirito Santo, but with the attacking style of Postecoglou, it could offer a way in for the new arrival.

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Ola Aina

Another potential winner in the Nottingham Forest squad is Ola Aina.

The 28-year-old full-back was impressive with his ability to get up and down the pitch on a consistent basis.

He did, however, only land two goals and one assist to his name, which he can certainly improve upon.

Having recently signed a new deal until 2028, the former Chelsea man could benefit from the arrival of Postecoglou and a change of style, capable of adding width on both the left and right flank.

Nottingham Forest losers after Ange Postecoglou hiring

Matz Sels

Goalkeeper Matz Sels was nothing short of extraordinary last season for Nottingham Forest.

The shot-stopper, who went on to win the Golden Glove with the joint-most clean sheets with David Raya, was a huge driving force behind Forest’s rise to the top.

He was relatively well-protected by his backline, but the change to a more pressing style could leave him more exposed.

There may also be questions raised about Sels and his ability to play out from the back, given how Postecoglou wants his teams to build from defence.

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Chris Wood

Another star of the previous campaign was Chris Wood.

The striker was in the form of his life, scoring 20 goals in the Premier League as he helped fire Nottingham Forest back into Europe.

Wood was often seen as the focal point to create counterattacks from, while his presence in the box was devastating once the ball arrived at him.

The issue with Postecoglou’s arrival is a change in how his role could be used.

The new manager likes to press, and Wood isn’t the most mobile of forwards, which could make him an awkward fit early on.

At 33 years old and with two years remaining on his contract, it remains to be seen how well the number nine will be able to adjust to the new way of playing.

Nikola Milenkovic

A towering presence at the back, Nikola Milenkovic was a huge factor in Forest’s success as he added plenty of what the team was missing.

The six-foot-five-inch defender helped stop the team from leaking goals from defensive set-pieces, while adding an aerial threat in attacking opportunities in the box, too.

Much like the other stars in the losers category, the question surrounding his place in the team comes down to stylistic fit with Postecoglou.

Will the towering centre-back be able to deal with the high line set out by the manager? That’s only something that can be seen as it happens.

However, looking at the quicker options Postecoglou had at Tottenham, such as Micky van de Ven, it points towards being a difficult fit again.