Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels on his second Premier League chance
A year ago, Matz Sel was in low profile Moved to Nottingham Forest.
The January 2024 transfer window has been overshadowed by the threat of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), meaning spending and excitement have plummeted.
Premier League clubs have completed just 17 permanent deals.
However, Seltz’s move still didn’t make BBC Sport’s roundup of the window’s “most interesting” transfers.
He looks like another player joining a club that seems to be attending A constant cycle of chaos.
A season at Newcastle United nine years ago was his only previous experience in England but Forest have spent £5m making the Belgian goalkeeper their third choice this season.
Sels accepted the gamble of leaving behind a relatively comfortable life at Strasbourg in Ligue 1, parachute-dropping into Forest’s relegation battle.
He made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Bournemouth on 4 February, making his new side’s third-inning appearance at third, scoring three points from safety.
this Threat of deductions The PSR is also imminent above and they are Stopped for four minutes He joined a month later.
It’s not an optimistic scenario, but fast-forward a year and the gamble has clearly paid off.
Forest return to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday in third place, just six points behind leaders Liverpool, while Sales leads the Golden Gloves with nine clean sheets.
He was part of the third-best defense in the division and had a huge impact on incredible turnovers.
He told BBC Sport: “I knew when I signed they were looking for a goalkeeper and I knew it was about keeping the team in the league.”
“When you study goalkeeping in January, most of the time that’s when the team is having a hard time.
“To play in the Premier League, that’s why I want to come back – to live the dream – I’m really happy with this season.
“Even when I came last season it wasn’t easy but I knew the situation when I signed. You can’t see too far but you try and see if it’s a good step.
“No one thought it would be like what we are doing now, but the quality of the squad is high – I saw it when I signed.”
Since joining, Sels’ impact has been with Gentleman in the Belgian Championship with his 2016 move to St James’ Park.
He made just 14 appearances for the Magpies, nine in the Championship, and spent time on loan at Anderlecht when Rafael Benitez’s side returned to the Premier League in 2017 (Anderlecht).
He said: “When I came to Newcastle it was not easy. It was my first time abroad and I was 22 – I don’t want to say I was a kid but I was still young.”
“Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, bad experiences make you stronger. Everyone has difficulties in life – it’s how you deal with it. I’m here now , I’m really happy.”
