Nottinghamshire Live

Nottingham Forest made it four Premier League wins on the spin for the first time since 1995 as they saw off Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.

Anthony Elanga bagged the only goal of the game at the City Ground to clinch the three points. At the other end of the pitch, some excellent defending and a hat-trick of big saves from Matz Sels to deny ex-Red Brennan Johnson kept the visitors at bay.

As the halfway point of the season approaches, the belief that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side can push for European football is strengthening. Below is a look at what the national media had to say about Forest’s 1-0 victory over Spurs.

The Telegraph

As the mist rolled in from the River Trent, Nottingham Forest’s magical season continues but the gloom is gathering around Ange Postecoglou.

Forest are up to third in the Premier League, temporarily moving above Arsenal, and supporters are chanting about future European excursions after a fourth victory in a row.

Anthony Elanga’s third goal in three games was enough to settle an absorbing, tight contest and Forest are proving the feelgood story of the season so far.

It was an afternoon to savour for Nuno Espirito Santo, who lasted just 17 matches as Tottenham’s manager in 2021 before he was ruthlessly sacked by chairman Daniel Levy.

Exciting times at the City Ground, and Nuno is running out of ways to play it all down.

Full report, here.

Daily Mail

Mist rolled in from the River Trent, just like in Nottingham Forest's terrace anthem but the songs that filled the air after a fourth victory in a row were all about scaling the Premier League and returning to Europe.

Nearly 30 years have passed since the last of their famous adventures overseas, but Forest are third after beating Tottenham at the City Ground and starting to dream of digging out their passports and roaming once more under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Forest look increasingly sure of themselves. Comfortable in a system that suits their best players, happy to play on the break with a nice habit of toppling the big clubs that way.

They won at Liverpool and their latest trick is to condemn Tottenham to a fourth defeat in five Premier League games, a sequence which piles a pressure on Ange Postecoglou.

Full report, here.

The Times

Nottingham Forest and their fans are dreaming about a return to European football after this win against Tottenham Hotspur sent them up to third in the Premier League.

A year ago, when Nuno Espírito Santo took over a struggling side that had won only one of their previous 13 games, many Forest fans’ Christmas wish would have been purely to stay in the top flight. Now, 12 months on they are chanting about the possibility of a Champions League adventure for the two-times European champions after Anthony Elanga’s first-half goal gave them all three points at the City Ground.

Full report, here.

The Independent

Nottingham Forest strengthened their European ambitions with a 1-0 win over Tottenham, whose miserable season took a turn for the worse.

Anthony Elanga’s first-half goal was enough for Forest to consolidate their position in the top four as the mist gathered at City Ground and the outlook keeps getting gloomier for under-pressure Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

While Spurs, who had Djed Spence sent off at the death, ponder a season of mediocrity, Forest are daring to dream after posting a fourth successive Premier League win for the first time since 1995.

They have already surpassed their points total from last season and are looking like genuine contenders for European qualification, which outlines the impressive job Nuno Espirito Santo has done at the City Ground.

Spurs pushed for an equaliser, but Forest put in a defensive performance Spurs could only dream of as central pairing Murillo and Milenkovic won all of their headers and made all of their tackles.

Full report, here.

Sky Sports

Forest secured all three points and the clean sheet to go alongside it against Tottenham - but they could not have done it without Murillo.

As Postecoglou rightly pointed out, his side possessed a threat in the final third but ultimately could not capitalise on it. And that is because of Forest's man mountain at the back.

When there was space, he would close it. When there was a ball to be won, there was no contest.

The home crowd serenaded him throughout the entirety of the game. He is a fan favourite and it is clear to see why, the partnership forming with Nikola Milenkovic is the foundation that this historic season for the club is being built upon.

Full report, here.

Back in early November, there was talk about how Nottingham Forest were entering a significant few weeks.

A brilliant start to the season was about to be put to the test. A tough-looking run of fixtures was viewed as an examination of the Reds’ credentials amid their early form. How would Nuno Espirito Santo’s side stack up against some of the so-called big guns?

Fast forward a few weeks and we have our answer. Not only have Forest emerged from that sequence of fixtures in very good shape, the case for a European push has arguably been strengthened.

Of course this doesn’t mean their schedule is suddenly about to get any easier - the Premier League doesn’t work like that. But with every passing week, belief is solidifying and momentum is growing. Below, we look at some of the big talking points from Boxing Day’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

Rock-solid Reds

Goals win games but clean-sheets carry teams a lot further in the long run. To get anywhere in this division, a solid defence is key. Forest’s rise up the table has come from granite-like foundations. As a collective they are well-drilled, organised and resolute from front to back.

In Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo, the Reds have one of the strongest defensive partnerships in the league. And in Matz Sels, they have a goalkeeper who has been in sensational form and now has seven shut-outs to his name.

Spurs have been far from goal-shy this term, but they came up against a brick-wall at the City Ground. Brennan Johnson was on his own personal mission to find the back of the net against his former club, but Sels proved to be the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate’s nemesis.

Come the final whistle, the Reds keeper wheeled and pumped his arms in celebration as the crowd sang his name. Meanwhile, Murillo finished the afternoon with a stats tally of nine clearances and three blocked shots.

Sels and the two centre-backs were at the heart of the hosts’ display, but Neco Williams merits a special mention. The Welshman has been terrific of late and he helped keep a lid on countryman Johnson. As it stands, Alex Moreno has his work cut out to reclaim the left-back spot.

Three in three

Nuno’s men had to soak up a fair bit of pressure at times. Spurs had 70 percent of the possession and notched up 13 efforts at goal.

But Forest are very comfortable without seeing much of the ball, and when they did get it the quality was there to cause their opponents problems. With plenty of pace in the side, counterattacking always had the potential to hurt Tottenham - and so it proved.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s pass in the 28th minute was sublime. And the finish from Anthony Elanga was superb. It was a goal worthy of winning any game.

"Teams can have the ball as much as they want but it's about who wins the game,” Elanga told Amazon (via Sky Sports) afterwards. "The manager is always able to adjust and we have done that brilliantly.”

It is three in three for Elanga now. Nuno admitted afterwards that for attacking players in particular, form tends to fluctuate throughout a campaign. After a slow start to the term, the winger has found his groove.

"I think everyone knew he is always at it,” Elliot Anderson said of his teammate (via the BBC). “You've just got to believe in him and know that he can bring these moments. He's flying at the minute and hopefully it continues.”

Transfer talk

Owner Evangelos Marinakis’ decision to rebuff Newcastle United’s late summer interest in Elanga was a real statement of intent at the time. With January just around the corner and the team riding high in the table, resolve might be tested again - and not just over the ex-Manchester United man.

Eye-catching individual performances throughout the side are bound to have piqued the attention of potential suitors. Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi, like Elanga, all had their admirers in the previous transfer window.

All season, Nuno has stressed how important it was to keep the core of the squad together. Doing so has paid dividends. Now for the same again next month.

There is no need for a major overhaul. If anything, too much disruption could have a detrimental effect. A few key signings could make a difference, but the overriding priority should be to retain the bulk of this group. They are onto a good thing, and consistency can keep it going.

Top-four challengers

Victory made it four Premier League wins in a row for the first time since 1995 for Forest. As it stands, they are one point below second-placed Chelsea and five clear of Newcastle United in fifth. With 34 points in the bank before the year is out, Nuno’s side have already passed last term’s total of 32 points.

Nuno continues to keep a level head but he also talked about the importance of momentum in his post-match press conference. The Reds have a clear identity under the Portuguese; a way of playing perfectly suited to the players in the squad. They are looking increasingly assured and confident in themselves.

"There's no harm in looking and seeing how well you are doing,” Anderson said of the table. “I've been keeping an eye on it and I'll probably check again but you have to stay level-headed and keep your feet on the ground."

The home crowd taunted promotion hero Djed Spence with chants about how he “used to play for a big club” amid a miserable afternoon for the Spurs defender which ended in him being sent off. Nuno might be keeping his feet on the ground, but fans are revelling in the moment. The players are enjoying it, too, with Ola Aina and Callum Hudson-Odoi once again doing a jig at full-time before the former piggybacked his teammate off the pitch.

There is a clear bond between this team and supporters. There is also a strong spirit in the dressing room and an understanding that everyone has a part to play. Moreno summed that unity up by leading the victory fist-pumps, despite not getting off the bench.

It is notable that after the last two home games Nuno has made reference to listening to Reds fans singing long into the night as they celebrate three points. He wants them to continue to dream, and they will go into 2025 doing just that.

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is keen for Nottingham Forest to keep riding the wave of momentum after a fourth successive Premier League win.

Anthony Elanga scored for the third consecutive game to clinch a 1-0 triumph for the Reds over Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground on Boxing Day. But a magnificent defensive display was also required to secure the three points and claim a seventh clean-sheet of the campaign for goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Forest now have a quick turnaround as they make the trip to face Everton on Sunday (3pm kick-off). Below is a look at what Nuno had to say after the final whistle against Spurs.

On the result and performance…

"It was a good performance. We spoke before about the quality in this Spurs team and the fact they score a lot of goals.

“The way we started was nice and brave. We tried to keep tight on the Spurs players, and that gave us an advantage in not allowing them to play. After that, we really went out well in the first half.

“Second half, we started better and created some situations. In the final moments of the game it was about defending and sticking to the result. The belief and the commitment of the players to avoid any kind of danger was good.

“What can I say about the help of the fans at the City Ground? Today was really, really special. It is huge for us that we are now starting to see this bond that makes us stronger.”

On another shut-out…

“That is very important. We cannot ignore that once again Matz made some huge saves to keep us in the game.”

On the winning goal and trying to hit Spurs on the counterattack…

“The plan was to play a perfect game, but that is very difficult - especially against a quality team. We wanted to have the threat.

“We have speed and we have good passers. Not only the finish was beautiful, but the first pass was good. The tempo and the pass from Morgan (Gibbs-White to Elanga) was very good.”

On making progress this season…

“This progress started when we started working together at the beginning of the season. I think we still have things to improve on, even though we are starting to realise that we are now dealing with the momentum of the game better.

“It is about thinking about what the game asks of us and what actions we have to do. It is about realising when we don’t have the ball and are on the ropes, how practical and pragmatic we have to be to get out of that situation. And it is about reading the moments when we have possession, keep it and allow ourselves to organise and not be up and down. We are improving on that aspect, and we are delighted.”

On flying high in the table…

“The table doesn’t mean anything. What is significant for us is what we felt today - the City Ground fans singing as they left. This is what is beautiful for us, that they can go out in the city and enjoy this moment.

On whether this can be a special season…

“The belief is here. But the belief doesn’t hide the reality, and the reality says we haven’t achieved anything yet. We have two days to recover, rest and compete against Everton - this is the reality.

“The fans should enjoy. Let’s enjoy this together.

On having momentum…

“We believe that we can compete, as long as everybody understands that every player in the squad is huge for us. We believe we can compete well.”

On Elanga scoring for a third successive game…

“You can see his confidence in every action. Especially for the offensive players - the wingers, offensive midfielders and strikers - it is up and down in the season. We have to realise the momentum for each one of them.

“Anthony is in a good moment now. We want to exploit every single minute of it.”

Belief is growing at the City Ground that Nottingham Forest can continue to compete at the top end of the table, but head coach Nuno Espirito Santo is keen to remain level-headed.

The Reds made it four wins on the spin in the Premier League for the first time since 1995 by beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in an entertaining Boxing Day clash. Anthony Elanga’s goal proved to be the difference but the hosts were also reliant on goalkeeper Matz Sels making some big saves.

The three points lifted Forest to third in the table at the final whistle. And Nuno says it is evidence of the progress the team have been able to make since having a full pre-season together.

“This progress started when we started working together at the beginning of the season,” said the Portuguese. “I think we still have things to improve on, even though we are starting to realise that we are now dealing with the momentum of the game better.

“The table doesn’t mean anything. What is significant for us is what we felt today - the City Ground fans singing as they left. This is what is beautiful for us, that they can go out in the city and enjoy this moment.

“The belief is here. But the belief doesn’t hide the reality, and the reality says we haven’t achieved anything yet. We have two days to recover, rest and compete against Everton on Sunday.

“We believe that we can compete, as long as everybody understands that every player in the squad is huge for us - especially with the schedule we have. We believe we can compete well.

“It was a good performance. We spoke about the quality of the Spurs team and the fact they score a lot of goals.

“The final moments of the game was about defending and sticking to the result. The belief and the commitment of the players to avoid any kind of danger was good.

“What can I say about the help of the fans at the City Ground? Today was really special. It is huge for us that we are now starting to see this bond that makes us stronger.”

Full-time

Nottingham Forest made it four wins on the bounce as they toppled Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on the banks of the Trent.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side went into the Boxing Day clash looking to maintain their winning run after seeing off Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brentford. A fast-paced start to the game saw chances at both ends of the pitch but it was the hosts who eventually made the breakthrough.

Matz Sels made a smart save to keep out ex-Forest man Brennan Johnson and a few minutes later the Reds took the lead. Morgan Gibbs-White played a delightful through-ball for Elanga, who finished superbly with 28 minutes gone.

Sels came up trumps with another brilliant stop to thwart Johnson just before the break, then he did the same again soon after the restart. It continued to be an open affair in the second half and Forest found themselves on the back foot for a significant spell.

Spurs finished the match with 10 men as Forest promotion hero Djed Spence was sent off for a second bookable offence against his former club. The final whistle went soon after, with the Reds moving up to third in the table. Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the City Ground.

Read more, here

Forest trying to turn the screw, and the crowd are really doing their best to urge them on

Milenkovic just headed wide from a corner

MGW continues to be involved in some lovely link-up play. Anderson is working so hard. CHO and Elanga looking lively. Bit of patience needed as Forest are getting into some good positions

Eeeek

Somehow it is still 1-0 but that was close

Spurs cause problems at a corner and manage to keep the move alive. Sels with another excellent save, again to deny Johnson - this time from close range

Forest could really do with a second goal. Under the cosh a bit

Wood tries to lay it off for MGW after another quick Forest box. Just a little too much on the ball from the front man.

Not long until half-time. Wonder if Nuno will consider making a change at the break. Yates being on a booking might come into this thinking. Bring JWP on maybe?

Game has calmed down a little bit in the last few minutes after a fast-paced start. Fans getting a little frustrated with the inconsistency of the refereeing. Fair few free-kicks being given - and some of the fouls look more like yellow cards than the Yates one.

Home crowd gave Spence a bit of stick when he was on the ball, chanting 'you used to play for a big club'

Booking

Yates gets a very early yellow card for a foul. Doesn't just mean he will have to walk a tightrope for a long time in this game, it also means he is ruled out of the next match for picking up five bookings so far this season in the league.

Forest will have Dominguez back for the Everton game, though. He is not involved today due to picking up five bookings himself.

Meanwhile, CHO went on a very good run and had a go at goal, just couldn't get his effort on target

Almost time

Teams are out. Ryan Yates leads out the Reds, with the midfielder back in the XI after being on the bench last time out.

Kick-off is just a few minutes away now. Nuno gets a terrific reception as he follows the players out before the Premier League anthem receives loud boos.

Going to be an interesting game today. Good festive atmosphere at the City Ground - will we be calling this a cracker of a match??! Sorry!

Opposition view

Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is eager to make up for lost time ahead of his return for the Boxing Day trip to Nottingham Forest.

Bentancur has sat out Spurs’ last seven domestic matches due to a Football Association suspension for racist remarks about captain Son Heung-min earlier this year.

The absence of the 27-year-old Uruguay international has occurred at the worst time for head coach Postecoglou, who has been without a string of senior players for a jam-packed December and watched his depleted squad struggle for consistency.

“Even the injured guys, they are around the group all the time and they want to help, they want to contribute,” Postecoglou said.

Read more, here

The line-up

Wondered if Nuno might have stuck with a back three today but not too much of a surprise to see him revert to a four. No real need to make too many other changes after good performance last time out.

Can see there being gaols today. Spurs do concede a lot. They can score a lot, too, but Forest's defence has generally been superb so far this season so hopefully same again on that front.

Interesting that there was a huddle of Aina, Elanga, Awoniyi and Moreira in the centre circle when the players were having a walk around on the pitch just now. They spent quite a few minutes huddled together. Plenty of handshakes and hugs for Brennan Johnson and Djed Spence as they saw a few familiar faces among staff at the club and some of the players.

Team news

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Tottenham Hotspur in today’s big Boxing Day clash.

The Reds go into today’s game looking to extend their winning streak in the Premier League. They made it three victories in a row by seeing off Brentford 2-0 last time out.

Goals from Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga saw Forest become the first team to inflict defeat on the Bees at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. And the three points meant they spent Christmas in fourth spot in the table.

Read more, here

Dream transfer window

Nottingham Forest have enough experience to know that transfer windows do not always go to plan.

But the Reds will be well aware how much of a difference the right deals could make as January looms large on the horizon. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been going well in the Premier League and the club will want to build on those foundations.

Forest shouldn’t need to do too much business next month. Below, NottinghamshireLive analyses what a dream transfer window would look like at the City Ground.

Read more, here.

Still time to get your copy

December’s issue of Women’s Football New is on sale now. It’s available to buy for only £3.50 at participating retailers and you can buy it online here.

Georgia Stanway knows what it's like to win a major trophy with England - and having done it once, she wants to do it again!

One of the heroes of the 2022 Euros, the Bayern Munich midfielder will be key to the Lionesses' chances of defending their trophy in Switzerland next summer.

But the midfielder knows it won't be easy and tells the December edition of Women's Football News that the squad knows they have a target on their back following their success two years ago.

As part of a Lionesses special, we look at the three key areas boss Sarina Wiegman needs to address ahead of next summer, and study what their recent friendlies show about their chances of going back-to-back.

We have an exclusive interview with Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor on what is driving their bid for glory this season, while Erin Cuthbert tells us how new manager Sonia Bompastor has done the impossible - replacing Emma Hayes at Chelsea.

Don’t miss this month’s Women’s Football News - buy your copy now!

Good afternoon

Hello all - and Happy Christmas! Hope everyone had a lovely day yesterday.

It's the traditional Boxing Day fare now! A big clash on the banks of the Trent as Forest host Spurs.

Nuno coming up against his old club and a return Trentside for Brennan Johnson.

A win like Boxing Day last year would be nice - that win away to Newcastle United was certainly a memorable one.

Team news is going to be interesting. Some big decisions for Nuno. We will bring you the starting line-up shortly

Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has named his Nottingham Forest team to face Tottenham Hotspur in today’s big Boxing Day clash.

The Reds go into today’s game looking to extend their winning streak in the Premier League. They made it three victories in a row by seeing off Brentford 2-0 last time out.

Goals from Ola Aina and Anthony Elanga saw Forest become the first team to inflict defeat on the Bees at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. And the three points meant they spent Christmas in fourth spot in the table.

This afternoon Nuno will come up against his former club on the banks of the Trent. The Portuguese has made one change to his starting XI this afternoon with Ryan Yates replacing Morato in the line-up.

After switching to a back three last time out, Nuno has reverted to a four-man back line today. Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo and Neco Williams will make up the defence ahead of goalkeeper Matz Sels.

Yates will partner Elliot Anderson in midfield. Morgan Gibbs-White will revert to his more familiar No.10 role after operating in a deeper position in the capital, joining Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi in support of striker Chris Wood. The bench will be made up of Carlos Miguel, Morato, Taiwo Awoniyi, Harry Toffolo, James Ward-Prowse, Alex Moreno, Jota Silva, Ramon Sosa and Willy Boly.

Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood. Subs: Miguel, Morato, Awoniyi, Toffolo, Ward-Prowse, Moreno, Jota, Sosa, Boly.

Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is eager to make up for lost time ahead of his return for the Boxing Day trip to Nottingham Forest.

Bentancur has sat out Spurs’ last seven domestic matches due to a Football Association suspension for racist remarks about captain Son Heung-min earlier this year.

The absence of the 27-year-old Uruguay international has occurred at the worst time for head coach Postecoglou, who has been without a string of senior players for a jam-packed December and watched his depleted squad struggle for consistency.

“Even the injured guys, they are around the group all the time and they want to help, they want to contribute,” Postecoglou said.

“They know we’re in a tough moment and, for Rodrigo, it has been even more frustrating because it’s not an injury which has kept him out.

“As I’ve said, he made a mistake, served his punishment now and wants to help the team.

“It’s good to have him back. He’s been working hard at training. In terms of Boxing Day, we’ll see, but certainly (a boost) just to have an extra body.

“I think what the players have had to deal with, the core group of players over the last sort of three weeks or so, has been very, very demanding on them.

“Most of them have got through it pretty well, in terms of not getting any more injuries, thankfully for us, but it’ll be nice to have just some ability to rotate some players and even make substitutions in games that hopefully will help us.”

Spurs’ joint-leading scorer this season is Brennan Johnson with 10 goals, but he has been restricted to a place on the bench in the last three matches with the in-form Dejan Kulusevski preferred at right forward.

Postecoglou insisted there is “nothing more” the Wales international needs to do to force his way into the team ahead of a return to old club Forest.

However, two logical solutions for Postecoglou to freshen up his starting line-up at the City Ground would be to recall Bentancur and Johnson – potentially in place of Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr.

Asked what more Johnson needed to do, Postecoglou replied: “Nothing more. He has to just keep doing what he is doing.

“Obviously we have the balance of the team and we’ve had Deki there and Deki has done really well, scored in the last five games.

“It is just the balance of the team. Part of it is again, we don’t have a lot of options up there and it is about managing that load.

“We’re already overburdening a couple of players in that area, so it is good to have Brennan, who we are managing through this period and he’ll play significant minutes.”

Tottenham are in need a positive result in Nottingham, but will come up against old boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who has turned Forest from relegation candidates into Champions League hopefuls during his 12 months in charge.

“He obviously came here and it didn’t work out for him, which just happens, but he’s shown he’s a top manager and he’s doing a fantastic job at Forest,” Postecoglou said.

“They’ve got some quality players in there and they’re having a really good season. Particularly at their place, it’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

The price of James Maddison's mansion in Nottinghamshire has been slashed as the England midfielder looks to sell the property after his move to London. The Spurs playmaker, who lived in Ruddington while playing for Leicester City, put his whopping house on the market for £2.5m in July.

However after failing to sell the property, the asking price was cut in November, meaning it is now available for £2,395,000. Situated in a gated complex off Old Road, not far from the Nottingham Knight Roundabout, the grand mansion features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and spans 4,000 square feet in total.

Maddison, who was born in Coventry, moved to the capital to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2023 - and relocated in the process. Estate agents FHP Living have taken his previous living quarters on and are making their best attempts to flog it to a new owner.

Built in 2012, the fascinating modern property also contains a games room, a snug, a gym and a walk-in wardrobe. A bar area currently features a wall adorned with framed shirts from some of the Premier League's best current and former players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Mo Salah.

Called 'The Spinney', the property is protected by large electric gates at its entrance and contains a CCTV system and security fencing. The entire plot stretches 0.8 acres in size.

Nottingham Forest promotion-winner Djed Spence has opened up on his Tottenham career to date, saying: "It hasn't been easy.”

Spence joined Spurs in July 2022 having played a key role in Forest’s promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs two months earlier during a loan from Middlesbrough. But he has been loaned out three times during the last two seasons, to Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa.

There were question marks over his future at Tottenham during the summer, but after impressing manager Ange Postecoglou during pre-season he has been given a new contract at the club and has made four appearances so far this season.

With his career at Spurs looking back on track, he told Tottenham's official matchday programme: "It was a good pre-season, I felt good and I felt sharp. I wanted to come back (from Genoa) and just be the best I could be, the best version of myself.

“That's all you can do, put in your best effort and try to be the best player on the pitch.

"I'm a determined player. I'd probably say I had a point to prove here and also a point to prove to myself.

“I wanted to show everyone what I know I'm capable of and how good a player l am. I had the same mentality going into this one, I knew what I needed to do to try to give my best and keep moving forward."

"It hasn't been easy.” he added, on his Tottenham career to date. "But you learn from everything. Whether that's being abroad, being away from your family or the change of culture - whatever you may face - you learn from them all so it's made me stronger mentally and they've all been great life experiences.

"I've also had a few injuries that have set me back so you just have to be strong mentally, stay focused, train hard, be around good people and there is always a way back to greatness and to be the player you know you can become.

"It's been a difficult couple of years for me personally, but I think this year will be a good one for me. The manager has been great.”

Former Nottingham Forest defender Djed Spence is looking for an alternative summer transfer after the collapse of his switch to Italian side Genoa.

BBC Sport report that his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur, and the side the 23-year-old played 16 matches for whilst on loan during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign had been in negotiations over a permanent deal. Genoa were seeking to find an agreement for less than the £8.5m option to buy included in his initial loan, though no accord could be reached.

Spence was open to the foreign move, however looks destined to find an alternative - rather than stay with Genoa or even Tottenham, where he has never been truly utilised.

The full-back's talents were first spotted when flying up and down the wing for Steve Cooper's promotion-winning side of the 2021/22 campaign. He made 46 Forest appearances whilst on loan from then-Championship rivals Middlesbrough, including a full 90 minutes in the play-off final at Wembley, and was named in both the EFL and PFA's team of the season.

As he impressed so much, it was later a shock to see the club not take Spence on permanently amongst the signings made upon promotion. The Guardian reported that to be Cooper's decision, Spurs capitalised, and sealed a deal worth £20m in total.

But his North London transfer turned out to be a nightmare, as it was the board that green-lit the deal and not then-manager Antonio Conte. In the two years since he has only been allowed to turn out six times for the club, being loaned out to Rennes, Leeds United and lastly Genoa just to find game time.

At present there is no suggestion that Forest would go back in for their former loan star, but his contributions more than two years ago are fondly remembered amid his search for a new club.