Nottingham Forest are set to embark on a new era under Ange Postecoglou, though their newly-appointed boss has been dealt a serious injury blow at the City Ground.
Ange Postecoglou set to get to work at Nottingham Forest
Tottenham Hotspur and Celtic fans will attest to the notion that Nottingham Forest fans will experience an exciting rollercoaster under Postecoglou's stewardship. Still, his trophy-winning exploits at both have created an intriguing dynamic on the River Trent.
Speaking after his arrival to replace Nuno Espirito Santo, the Australian has made it clear he feels the Tricky Trees have a squad capable of competing on all fronts while he is in charge.
"I really like the squad. It’s got great balance in terms of being able to cover most positions for the rotations you need. There’s a variance in styles in there that will allow you to play differently.
"There’s no doubt European football has different demands on you than the Premier League and the cup competitions as well. We want to compete on all fronts. I’ve only had two days with the players. It will be one day with the whole squad.I think there’s a good balance there. A squad that I think is ready to compete but also robust enough to handle the challenge."
Intriguingly, Nottingham Forest star Jota Silva is set for Besiktas in a deal that could be worth over £17 million by next summer, offering an early boost to the coffers ahead of 2026.
After a mixed start to the campaign, the Tricky Trees will have designs on creeping up the Premier League table, and there will be plenty of positivity among supporters that they can begin to strike up a run of results.
However, Postecoglou may now have suffered a blow upon entering the dugout as one of his players could be out until the New Year with an injury concern.
Nottingham Forest see Ola Aina sustain serious injury
According to National World, Nottingham Forest star Ola Aina has been ruled out for around three months due to a hamstring injury, signifying that he may not return to the pitch until 2026.
John Percy described it as a "big early setback" for Postecoglou, and addressing his status, Postecoglou stated before his side faced Arsenal:
"We’ve sent him for some scans and we should get the results this afternoon. The rest of the boys, today is the first day I’ve had my eyes on them, and they’re all fine. We have a clean bill of health apart from Aina."
The Nigeria international has featured in all of Nottingham Forest's Premier League fixtures until this point. However, it may now be over to Nicolo Savona to take over the mantle while he works his way up to full fitness.
Postecoglou had to deal with widespread injury concerns at Tottenham last term, so if anything, the Australian boss will hope this is an isolated setback.