January transfer window: How Forest, Stags and Notts County did as deadline day passes

Jordan Rhodes (left), Tyler Bindon (centre) and Will Jarvis (right) are three of the signings that Nottinghamshire clubs have brought through the door this January
By Callum Wright
The January football transfer window has come to a close, and all of Nottinghamshire’s top three football clubs were active in the market.
Starting on Wednesday January 1 and ending on Monday February 3 at 11pm, the window saw arrivals, departures and players tied down to contracts across the region, including some last-minute drama in the dying moments of deadline day.
Nottingham Forest, Notts County and Mansfield Town all looked to bolster their squads during the month, while also allowing some departures.
Nottingham Forest
It was a relatively quiet transfer window by Forest’s recent standards. The club brought in nine players in the summer, with two going out on loan to other clubs and two signed on loan to the Reds. Last January, they brought in goalkeeper Matz Sels and two players on loan, Rodrigo Ribeiro and Gio Reyna.
Head coach Nuno Espírito Santo mentioned in a pre-match press conference that the club’s main priority was to tie down the players they currently have, with the squad currently sitting third in the Premier League and providing the season’s surprise success story. This was exactly what they did, with top players Murillo and Chris Wood signing new contracts until 2029 and 2027 respectively. The former especially saw interest from other clubs during the window, but Forest were not interested in letting the Brazilian international go. It would’ve likely taken a club record deal.
Goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was the first technical transfer the club made as a free agent in a return to the City Ground books after his contract expired at the end of the 23/24 season. With a quiet deadline day mostly expected, there were late moves as two young talents arrived. The first saw 20-year-old defender Tyler Bindon sign from Reading on a contract until 2028 for an undisclosed fee. A New Zealand international, Bindon emerged as one of the top talents in League One and captained the Royals earlier in the season. He is set to stay at Reading on loan for the rest of the season as they push for promotion.

The other player through the door, minutes before the closure of the window, was 18-year-old winger Joel Ndala on loan from Manchester City. The deal includes an option to buy for £4 million and Ndala will be initially assigned to the Forest Academy team.
There were some outgoings for the Reds on loan, as Lewis O’Brien moved to Swansea City, Emmanuel Dennis moved to Blackburn Rovers and Josh Bowler went to Luton Town.
Much of the drama around Forest’s window revolved around potential bids for Wolves’ Mateus Cunha, with the Reds rumoured to launch a club record bid for the Brazilian forward. Cunha however decided to tie down his future at Molineux. Bids were also launched for Brentford winger Yoane Wissa, with around £20 rumoured to have been offered to the Bees, however the deal was eventually deemed impossible with Brentford valuing him much more highly.
Notts County
County also looked to bolster their squad as they continue their push for promotion to League One as they currently sit in third in League Two – just inside the automatic promotion spots. Early on in the window the Magpies were hit with transfer drama as midfielder Dan Crowley left the club to sign for fellow League Two club MK Dons for an undisclosed fee. The other permanent departure from the club was forward Cedwyn Scott, who famously scored the winning penalty against Chesterfield to see the Magpies return to the EFL in the National League playoff final. Scott has returned to former club Carlisle United, also for an undisclosed fee.
Other departures from the club included free transfers for goalkeeper Aidan Stone and winger Josh Martin who moved to Yeovil Town and Newport County respectively. Three players left on loan, with centre back Kyle Cameron moving to Barrow, left back Adam Chicksen moving to Woking and Ryley Reynolds moving to Kidderminster. The only other departure was forward Jevani Brown, who returned to parent club Bristol Rovers after a loan spell with the Magpies. At the time of writing, Gambian Forward Alassana Jatta is still at Meadow Lane, despite weeks of rumours linking him to Championship side Plymouth.

County’s first signing of the window was winger Will Jarvis, with the 22-year-old joining for an undisclosed fee from Hull City, having made seven appearances in the Championship for the Tigers this season.
Later in the window, two talents from Premier League 2 arrived. Forward Charlie Whittaker joining on a free transfer from Everton U21s on a six month contract, and centre back Zak Johnson joining on loan for the rest of the season from Sunderland u21. Junior Morias also returned to the club after his loan deal at Dagenham and Redbridge ran out, with which he scored a famous goal to see the National League club knock AFC Wimbledon out of the FA Cup.
There was one final signing on deadline day, as striker Maï Traoré joined for an undisclosed fee from Norwegian top flight club Fredrikstad. The 25-year-old from Guinea has spent most of his career in Scandinavia, spending time in Sweden with Vasalunds IF and other Norwegian top-flight club Viking FK.
Mansfield Town
The Stags have had a quieter transfer window compared to their business in the summer. Like the Magpies, they dipped their toes into the Premier League academy market, with midfielder Matthew Craig joining on loan from Tottenham Hotspur U21s and forward Caylan Vickers from Brighton U21s, the latter of which was signed on deadline day. Another deadline day signing for the stags was striker Jordan Rhodes, who joined on loan from fellow League One club Blackpool. Formerly the most expensive player outside the English top flight after an £8m move to Blackburn Rovers in 2021, the 34-year-old has scored 243 career goals and has represented Scotland internationally.

There were some departures for the Stags with five players leaving on loan: Tom Nichols to Swindon Town, George Cooper to Drogheda United, Owen Mason to Gateshead, Anthony Núñez to Shepshed Dynamo and James Gale to Boston United.
Nigel Clough’s side sit in 14th in League One but are only seven points from the playoffs.
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