The June 1^st contract endings of several Nottingham Forest players means for yet another clear out at the City Ground this summer as the Reds rid no less than eleven of last season’s first team squad.

Samba Sow, Sammy Ameobi and Yuri Ribeiro are perhaps the most significant players to leave after serving Forest well over the last couple of campaigns, a man-mountain in the midfield, 32-year-old Sow played 40 times in the Championship over two injury-blighted seasons after moving from Dynamo Moscow in Russia where he also had a two year injury hit spell. Fans favourite Sammy Ameobi who was signed by Martin O’Neill in 2019, played 77 times scoring 8 goals for the garibaldi, there is slight possibility if the Reds don’t get their targets this window that Ameobi could still return on a revised contract, although he is likely to attract attention from other Championship teams, clearly competent and with something still to offer in the division aged just 29.

Yuri Ribeiro was another fans favourite but it was decided his two year deal would not be renewed with the player likely now to head back home to Portugal. The 24-year-old left back played 57 times for Forest in all competitions scoring his only goal last season in the win against Sheffield Wednesday at the City Ground.

Two other players released at the end of their contracts were goalkeeper Abdoulaye Diallo who never featured for Forest and defender Michael Hefele who after playing 18 games in the 2018/19 season under Martin O’Neill, hardly ever kicked a ball for the club under Sabri Lamouchi and his predecessor Chris Hughton and eventually saw his contract out whilst mainly playing for the U23’s from the summer of 2019. Hefele was said to be on big wages and was told of his release in January this year.

All the other players bar one had loan spells come to an end. James Garner who was magnificent in midfield, returns to Manchester United whilst Filip Krovinovic the Benfica owned playmaker looks to be attracting the likes of Fiorentina and Torino amongst others.

Anthony Knockaert and Cyrus Christie are set to head back to parent club Fulham after good, but not great campaigns in red, Luke Freeman largely disappointed and returns to Sheffield United.

Finally Glenn Murray has decided to draw close on a career that has seen him score over 200 league goals in more than 500 games. The 37-year-old former Brighton and Crystal Palace front man played sixteen times for Forest scoring his only two goals in a win at Wycombe.

Although our own editor Daniel Peacock questioned the signing of Murray in this article back in January when he signed on a free, the forward certainly proved his worth for the club on a short term basis and was a key part in the strategy for survival and did his job professionally very well.

Nottingham Sport would like to wish Glenn all the best in his retirement and well done on a fantastic career in football. An old-skool striker who will certainly be remembered by the fans of the clubs he did so well at including for a short time all be it, Trentside.

The retained Nottingham Forest players for the upcoming season include: Brice Samba, Jordan Smith, Tobias Figueiredo, Joe Worrall, Gaetan Bong, Carl Jenkinson, Loic Mbe Soh, Tyler Blackett, Scott McKenna, Nicholas Ioannou, Jordan Gabriel, Ryan Yates, Joe Lolley, Jack Colback, Fouad Bachirou, Alex Mighten, Cafu, Harry Arter, Brennan Johnson, Joao Carvalho, Lewis Grabban, Lyle Taylor, Nuno Da Costa, Will Swan.

*Main image @NFFC Glenn Murray calls time on a fabulous career.