Serge Aurier will leave Nottingham Forest on permanent deal | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest right-back Serge Aurier is set to join Galatasaray on a permanent deal, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirming the move.

Nuno Espirito Santo has already sanctioned several departures from his Tricky Trees squad during the 2024 winter transfer window, as the East Midlands outfit look to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

Forest could look to make some additions on Deadline Day as they seek to build a squad capable of achieving survival in the Premier League come the end of the 2023/24 season. Romano has confirmed that Aurier will leave The City Ground on a permanent deal rather than a loan move.

Aurier’s career at Nottingham Forest

Forest announced the signing of Aurier in September 2022, after the 31-year-old left Villarreal at the end of his contract in the previous season. The Ivory Coast international had already experienced Premier League football during his time with Tottenham Hotspur but was now joining a club that had ambitions of sustaining their place in the top flight.

Under former Forest boss Steve Cooper, Aurier made 28 appearances during the 2022/23 season for The Tricky Trees, scoring one goal as the two-time European Cup winners secured their survival in the Premier League. However, the full-back, dubbed "fantastic" by Forest striker Chris Wood, has struggled for game time this term and could be forced into a departure with Forest eager to clear the wage bill.

Forest’s struggles with Financial Fair Play

In January, Nottingham Forest and Everton were charged with breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules. Top-flight clubs can lose a maximum of over £105m over a three-season calculation.

However, as Forest spent two of those three seasons in the Championship, they were only allowed to lose £61m. The Premier League claims that the East Midlands giants have confirmed they are breaching profit and sustainability rules as the clubs decide on the next steps.

Everton have already been docked ten points and find themselves in a battle to avoid the drop into the Championship. Nuno will be keen for Forest to avoid the same fate as they scramble to secure their Premier League survival.

Aurier’s impending departure from Forest

Aurier’s departure from The City Ground is hardly a surprise. The experienced full-back has played in just 42% of available Premier League minutes during the 2023/24 season, having struggled to displace Neco Williams in Forest’s backline. With Forest desperately needing funds, Aurier will have been seen as a target who could have been set for a departure at the start of the winter transfer window.

A permanent move to Galatasaray could offer Aurier the stability he needs in the latter stages of his career as he looks to become a regular once again at a European giant. Forest will hope the defender’s departure will clear the space on the wage bill for more signings as we head towards the final hours of Deadline Day.