Dourekas: My best Nottingham Forest signings
Former Forest recruiters Kyriakos Dourekas and Ross Wilson
- Published
Former Nottingham Forest director of football Kyriakos Dourekas has reflected on his best signings during his six-year spell at the City Ground from 2018 to 2024.
Dourekas joined Forest from Olympiacos, also owned by Evangelos Marinakis, and during his tenure the club won promotion to the Premier League in 2022 – their first top‑flight season in 23 years.
Now at Neom, a new club created as part of Saudi Arabia's giga‑city project in the desert, Dourekas looked back on the signings he considered most important during his time at Forest.
"All the players helped, but ones that stand out… Ryan Yates," Dourekas told BBC Sport. "He wasn't a signing, but could have been released or sent on loan. His passion was immense for us as a local academy boy.
"Another was James Garner from Manchester United on an initial six-month loan. Then Stoke City offered a great proposal, but we eventually got him over the line again and his contribution was immense.
"We wanted to buy him after promotion, but United wanted to keep him initially. We completed our roster and then, in the end, they were ready to sell him. It happens in football – the timing sometimes is not right.
"There was Morgan (Gibbs‑White), Woody (Chris Wood), Djed Spence… all of those. Anthony Elanga, sold for £55m to Newcastle – an amazing one. And (Elliot) Anderson, who came after I left, another amazing one. He is one of the best players in England at his age."
Despite Forest qualifying for Europe last season for the first time in 30 years, they sit 17th in the Premier League. However, Dourekas remains positive about the club's direction.
"I believe the recruitment has been successful and will be in the future, as they have a great set‑up there," he said.
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