Chris Wood loan move begins
On this day in Nottingham Forest history in 2023 Forest bring Chris Wood in on loan from Newcastle United to strengthen their Premier League attack.
Forest moved for Chris Wood during a Premier League survival fight, bringing the New Zealand striker in on loan from Newcastle United.
The deal was not a straightforward permanent signing at the moment of announcement. It was an initial loan, with reports describing an obligation to buy if certain conditions were met and a permanent fee in the region of £15m.
Wood arrived at a time when Forest needed another centre-forward option, with Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury leaving Steve Cooper short of proven Premier League experience in attack. The move felt practical rather than glamorous, built around physical presence, penalty-box instincts and top-flight know-how.
His first months were disrupted, but the signing aged far better than many expected. Wood scored important goals in the 2023–24 survival season, then became one of the symbols of Forest’s remarkable rise under Nuno Espírito Santo.
In 2024–25, he produced one of the great modern Forest scoring seasons. Wood finished with 20 Premier League goals, becoming the club’s first player in 30 years to reach that mark in the top flight, and his finishing helped drive Forest towards European qualification.
What began as a January loan became one of the club’s smartest Premier League-era deals. Wood went from short-term cover to senior talisman, helping Forest first stay up and then return to Europe.
Sources
Nottingham Forest official site; BBC Sport; Transfermarkt
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