Brennan Johnson signs a new deal with Nottingham Forest

Callum Castel-Nuovo

The highly-rated forward has committed to a four-year deal with Forest, who will play in the Premier League for the first time since 1999 this coming season.

Prior to scoring his first goal for Wales on the international stage, Johnson scored 19 goals and dished out 10 assists for his home club in the 2021-22 season, which marked his best campaign to date.

While several Premier League teams were heavily interested in the 21-year-old, Forest turned down Brentford’s offers for Johnson last summer and again in January.

How does this impact Forest?

There was always a feeling that promotion to the Premier League would be the only way to keep the likes of Brennan Johnson and Joe Worrall, and that appears to be the case.

Johnson served as a talisman for Forest last season and is the last player they would want to lose as they prepare to compete at the highest level.

Given that the forward has one year left on his contract and Forest turned down offers around the £20-million mark last season, it would seem reasonable to assume that they could only accept that much this year. However, a new contract means that price will rise dramatically.

More critically, though, Forest will retain a crucial player who represents a sizeable goal threat. Johnson’s new contract together with the club record acquisition of forward Taiwo Awoniyi guarantees that Forest will enter the Premier League campaign with a dangerous attacking force.

Photography: Brennan Johnson of Nottingham Forest celebrates promotion to the Premier League during the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium, London on Sunday 29th May 2022. (Photo by Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)