Transfer deadline day is traditionally known for last-minute deals and panic buys as clubs scramble to sign players for the long campaign. Something a little different happened this summer in England's East Midlands.
Nottingham Forest — which had signed an astounding 18 players up to this point — brought in three more players before the end of transfer deadline day, bringing its total to 21 signings for the summer transfer window. Two deals — for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi and free agent right back Serge Aurier — fell through at the final hurdle.
The trio signed on deadline day included center back Wily Boly from Wolves, Josh Bowler — a 23-year-old winger — from Blackpool and Rennes defender Loïc Badé. All but Badé (loan-to-buy option) are permanent moves.
Nottingham Forest set a British transfer record signing 21 new players during the summer transfer window...
Too many or not? pic.twitter.com/ah7q7a92br— 90min (@90min_Football) September 2, 2022
These moves bring the club's total summer spending to nearly $180 million to go with a net spend of $170 million. Of the 19 players to make an EPL start for Forest this season, just seven of them played for the club last year.
All of these numbers are impressive in their own right, but Forest's level of activity in the transfer market is historic; the Reds' 21 signings this summer is a Premier League record for a single transfer window.
Forest brought in 19 players permanently and a further two players on loan as it hopes to stave off relegation in its first Premier League season since 1998-99.
Only four times in EPL history has a club signed 15 or more players in a single window, but no team has ever eclipsed the 20-player mark until this year.
Previously, the most signings in a transfer window was by set newly promoted Crystal Palace back in the summer of 2013, as the Eagles used 18 new players to finish 11th in the EPL after a decade in the Championship.
Other high marks came from Watford, which signed 15 players during the summer window in 2017 and 16 players before the 15-16 campaign, and Fulham's 16 summer signings in 2007. Surprisingly, none of these four sides were relegated those years, and two of them (07-08 Fulham and 17-18 Watford) were not newly promoted teams.
Will Nottingham Forest's 21 new signings keep the club in the Premier League this year? History seems to suggest it will.
