Nottingham Forest’s youth academy continues to quietly deliver value despite the club’s heavy recent investment in first-team signings — but new figures show just how far they still trail the Premier League’s elite.
According to data from the CIES Football Observatory, have generated €124 million from academy player sales over the past decade, placing them 11th among English clubs and 60th worldwide.
While that figure reflects solid work behind the scenes at the Nigel Doughty Academy, it pales in comparison to the staggering returns posted by the likes of and . Chelsea lead the way domestically with €442 million raised from 33 academy graduates, while Manchester City follow with €404 million from 35 players.
Forest’s most notable academy success in recent years remains , whose £47.5 million move to Tottenham in 2023 accounts for a significant portion of that total. His rise from the academy to a big-money transfer exemplifies the club’s ability to develop talent — even if those players don’t always become long-term first-team regulars at the City Ground.
In total, Forest have sold ten academy-developed players over the last ten years. While that number is modest compared to top-tier academies, it highlights a steady pipeline of talent production during a period when opportunities for youth players have become increasingly limited.
The challenge is clear. With 24 senior players signed permanently over the last two seasons, breaking into the first team has become significantly more difficult for young prospects. This is not a problem unique to Forest — it reflects a wider trend across English football, where the gap between academy development and Premier League football continues to widen.
Still, there are signs of progress. Club captain stands as a rare example of a homegrown player establishing himself as a key figure in the senior squad. Meanwhile, emerging talents like Zach Abbott have begun to gain valuable first-team experience, offering hope for the future.
Globally, Forest’s academy ranks behind European powerhouses such as Benfica and Ajax, who have turned youth development into a highly lucrative model. Yet the Reds can take some encouragement from their position ahead of clubs like AC Milan and Roma in the same rankings.
Ultimately, while Nottingham Forest may not yet compete with the Premier League’s biggest academies financially, their ability to generate over €100 million in player sales demonstrates a foundation that can still be built upon.
As the club continues to balance immediate first-team ambitions with long-term development, the real test will be whether more academy graduates can follow in Brennan Johnson’s footsteps — either by starring at the City Ground or commanding major transfer fees elsewhere.
