Nottingham Forest have appointed Oliver Glasner as their new manager to replace Vitor Pereira following the club's European exit last season.
Senior figures at the Premier League club decided to make a managerial change after a 4-0 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park on May 7 shattered Forest's Europa League semi-final hopes.
Pereira had served as Forest's fourth permanent manager that season, taking over a mutinous squad to secure Premier League survival and reach the European semi-finals before club executives paused to assess alternative options.
That assessment led Forest to turn to former Crystal Palace manager Glasner, who has long maintained a strong working relationship with Forest transfer chief George Syrianos.
The hiring comes as part of an eventful summer dominated by club owner Evangelos Marinakis, star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, and ongoing friction with rival club Crystal Palace.
Relations between Forest and Crystal Palace have grown increasingly bitter over the past year following Glasner's departure, after the Austrian coach won three trophies during his tenure at Selhurst Park.
Glasner is expected to face a tense reception when Forest travel to face Crystal Palace on October 10, while Marinakis continues legal action against Palace over a banner featuring himself and Gibbs-White displayed at Selhurst Park 12 months ago.
Glasner appointment and Crystal Palace tension
Managing 26-year-old playmaker Gibbs-White remains a central priority for Glasner ahead of the new campaign.
Tottenham Hotspur attempted to sign Gibbs-White last summer by seeking to activate a £60million release clause, but Marinakis convinced the player to remain at the City Ground by making him the highest-paid player in Nottingham Forest history.
Gibbs-White responded by delivering 25 goal involvements last season, helping preserve Forest's top-flight status, although backroom staff acknowledge the England international requires careful management.
Tensions surrounding player transfers mounted after former teammate Anthony Elanga joined Newcastle United for £55million last year, followed by Elliot Anderson's recent £116million transfer to Manchester City.
Following Anderson's move, Gibbs-White parted ways with agency CAA Stellar to join German firm ROOF, whose prominent client roster includes ties to European heavyweights Bayern Munich.
While Gibbs-White recorded 25 goal involvements compared to nine from Anderson last season, representatives for the player evaluated his options during the summer window.
Daily Mail Sport understands Chelsea expressed interest in Gibbs-White earlier in the summer, while the player, a boyhood Manchester United supporter who previously attracted interest from Manchester City, remains intent on playing Champions League football if he leaves.
Morgan Gibbs-White contract and transfer interest
While past Forest managers Steve Cooper, Nuno Espirito Santo, and Pereira succeeded in handling Gibbs-White, former boss Sean Dyche struggled to build a working relationship with the midfielder.
Glasner conducted extensive background checks and held multiple discussions with Gibbs-White, who was reportedly encouraged by the new manager's tactical methods during last month's pre-season training camp in Portugal.
Forest supporters will be watching closely to ensure Gibbs-White remains at the club past the September 3 transfer deadline as the central figure in Glasner's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.
Elliot Anderson sale and squad recruitment
The £116million sale of England midfielder Anderson to Manchester City was orchestrated directly by owner Marinakis, who managed negotiations personally while keeping senior club staff updated on progress.
Forest do not plan a direct positional replacement for Anderson, but club officials intend to complete additional signings before the transfer window closes, targeting a new forward, a central midfielder, and a right wing-back.
Club executives have maintained a firm stance against overpaying for targets, which led to extended negotiations for Sporting Lisbon defender Ousmane Diomande.
Ousmane Diomande transfer deal
Forest completed the £34million acquisition of 22-year-old Ivory Coast international Diomande from Sporting Lisbon after Glasner designated the defender as his primary defensive target.
Glasner had previously tried and failed to sign Diomande during his tenure at Crystal Palace, leaving him determined to secure the player upon taking charge at Nottingham Forest.
Negotiations briefly faltered when Sporting Lisbon considered opening talks with rival clubs due to delays over final contractual terms, raising concerns of frustration from Glasner, who had public disputes with Palace executives over transfer strategy last season.
Forest ultimately agreed to meet Sporting's valuation to finalize the £34million transfer and secure Glasner's key defensive target.
Marinakis views Glasner as an elite managerial appointment comparable to Unai Emery, who transformed Aston Villa into a European contender after taking charge near the relegation zone.
Having employed four permanent managers during a turbulent four-year period in the Premier League, Forest leadership aims to establish Glasner as the foundation of a long-term sporting project.
City Ground expansion and stadium plans
Alongside squad investment, Marinakis is advancing plans to redevelop Forest's historic City Ground stadium, where current capacity stands at approximately 30,000 seats.
The club submitted a formal planning application last January to expand total stadium capacity beyond 50,000 spectators.
Initial short-term developments focus on adding 5,000 seats by expanding the Peter Taylor Stand, with Forest purchasing residential properties situated at the corner of the Peter Taylor and John Robertson Stands to facilitate construction.
Forest have also undertaken renovations across several hospitality suites inside the City Ground over the summer months.
Training ground upgrades and recovery specialist
Significant structural enhancements have been carried out at the club's training ground on the outskirts of Nottingham to improve first-team performance and player welfare.
Forest appointed Carina Hanson-Evans as the club's first dedicated recovery specialist, tasking her with implementing specialized breathing, meditation, and pilates programs for squad members.
The squad's recreational facility has nearly doubled in size to encourage players to spend more time together following training sessions, replicating an approach that fostered team cohesion during the 2024-25 season under Nuno Espirito Santo, when Forest narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification.
The club has also upgraded facilities for its Under-21 and B teams to match first-team standards, while construction has begun on a new swimming pool recovery complex at the training base.
With squad additions completed and facilities expanded, Forest leadership remains confident the team can establish immediate momentum under Glasner and Marinakis in the upcoming Premier League season.
