Nottingham Forest are considering terminating the contract of Nigerian striker Emmanuel Dennis, who has fallen completely out of favour under manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
The 27-year-old, signed with high expectations, has not featured in Forest’s plans this summer and did not play a single minute during pre-season.
Despite Forest’s participation in the Europa League this campaign, Dennis has been deemed surplus to requirements, with the club now exploring ways to offload him.
According to Premier League commentator Ben Jacobs, speaking via nottinghamforest.news, Forest are prepared to cut their losses and release Dennis if no transfer materialises.
The decision would mean forfeiting a fee, but it would free up his reported £40,000-a-week wages, which could prove valuable as the club reshapes its squad.
Dennis endured a difficult loan spell at Blackburn Rovers in the second half of the 2024/25 season, which appears to have dampened interest from potential suitors.
He made his debut for Rovers in the FA Cup against Wolves, where he showed flashes of quality but struggled for match sharpness after a long spell on the sidelines at Forest.
Although gaining fitness through regular minutes, his loan spell ultimately failed to impress.
A sending off against Norwich City in March highlighted his inconsistency, and Dennis ended the season with nine appearances in all competitions, failing to score a single goal.
Forest have managed to offload several fringe players already, with Lewis O’Brien moving to Wrexham and New Zealand international Marko Stamenic joining Swansea.
However, Dennis’ situation has proven more complicated, with clubs hesitant to move for the striker after his underwhelming spell in the Championship.
Reports suggest there is some interest from Italy, though nothing concrete has yet emerged.
Without a breakthrough, Forest may opt to terminate his contract to accelerate his exit from the City Ground.
Dennis joined Forest in 2022 from Watford, where he had shown promise in the Premier League, but his time in Nottingham has never gained momentum.
With Espírito Santo reshaping his squad for both domestic and European commitments, Dennis looks set to depart, either through a transfer or a contract termination.
For Forest, the decision would mark another step in trimming their squad ahead of a demanding season, while for Dennis, it could represent the need for a fresh start to revive a career that has stalled in England.
