Nigerian striker reaches end of the road with Nottingham Forest as club considers termination

Nottingham Forest and Nigerian forward Emmanuel Dennis are in discussions over the mutual termination of his contract, with the striker no longer part of manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s plans.

The move would bring a premature end to a frustrating spell at the City Ground for the 27-year-old Super Eagles star.

Dennis arrived at Forest in 2022 on the back of an impressive season at Watford, where he scored 10 goals and contributed six assists in the Premier League.

Expectations were high that he would replicate that form, but his time at the City Ground has been underwhelming. In his debut season, Dennis managed just two goals across 25 appearances, most of them from the bench.

His inability to cement a starting role saw Forest ship him out on loan, including a stint in Turkey with Istanbul Basaksehir, a return to Watford, and most recently a move to Blackburn Rovers.

At Blackburn, Dennis struggled further, featuring in seven matches without scoring and even picking up a red card against Norwich City. Those performances have only confirmed Forest’s stance that the striker does not feature in their long-term project under Espírito Santo.

With the summer transfer window nearing its close, Forest are keen to trim their squad and ease their wage bill.

Dennis, who hasn’t played a competitive match for the club since the 2022-23 season, appears surplus to requirements.

According to Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth, talks over a mutual termination are ongoing, which would allow Dennis to seek a fresh start elsewhere as a free agent.

For Forest, the decision represents another step in reshaping the squad. For Dennis, it could mark the chance to revive a once-promising career that has stalled badly in recent years.