Tribal Football

The top 5 U21 Forest players to watch this season

The top 5 U21s Forest players to watch this season
The top 5 U21s Forest players to watch this seasonAction Plus
Nottingham Forest have a number of exciting young talents that could help them push towards a European spot this season. Here's five young stars who could make the difference.

ELLIOT ANDERSON

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Anderson signed a five-year deal with Forest this summer after arriving from Newcastle United where he joined the club at 8 years old. 

He appeared 55 times for the Magpies and racked up 44 Premier League appearances at just 21-years-old, proving himself to be a quality player who can perform at the highest level. 

The Scotland youth international says he is “ready to give everything” in this new chapter in his career as he pushes towards his true potential in a Forest shirt. 

 

ERIC DA SILVA MOREIRA

Moreira joined the club on a four-year deal from St. Pauli this summer after progressing through their youth system. 

The forward was a standout performer for Germany Under-17s as they won both the European Championship and World Cup in 2023. 

He has tasted success at club level as well as he won the 2.Bundesliga and earnt promotion to the German top flight for the first time in 13 years under now Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler. 

The German is capable of playing at wing-back or as a winger due to his pace, directness and ability on the ball which caught the eye of Forest this summer. 

 

ZACH ABBOTT

Abbot made his senior Forest debut at just 16 years old and now two years down the line there is a growing sense it might not be too long before Abbott gets to pull on the first-team kit again in an intense Premier League season. 

The teenager has already played 60 minutes this season in Forest’s EFL Cup game against Newcastle United as he won a number of duels and had a pass completion of 78% against what was United’s senior XI. 

At 18 years old Abbot has a strong chance of making a name for himself in Forest’s backline this year as he competes for a chance to impress manager Nuno Espirito Santo. 

 

KRISTIAN FLETCHER

Fletcher joined on a season-long loan deal from D.C. United, with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the campaign as Forest look to inject some youth into the side. 

The 19-year-old is set to be a key player for the U21s but hopes that the move becomes permanent so he can continue to develop at the club and force his way into the first team. 

This loan is a testament to the hard work the youngster has put in for DC United in recent years and if he continues to impress above his age level he could be the next breakthrough star for Forest. 

 

JOE GARDNER

Gardner looks to kick on and continue his upward trajectory this season after making his first team debut last term against Bristol City in the FA Cup. 

The 19 year old scored in the under-21s fixture against Carlisle this week and was by far the liveliest Forest player on the pitch. 

The challenge for the youngster this season is consistency and staying grounded in the hope of a first team call-up, something that he has been striving towards for some time.