Nottingham Forest completed a late deadline-day signing for Arsenal left back Oleksandr Zinchenko after their move for Atlético Madrid’s Javi Galan collapsed. Forest had been linked with Galan but the deal broke down in the final stages and the club moved quickly to find an alternative.

Forest were able to get the Arsenal transfer over the line after submitting a deal sheet that granted them an extension to finalise the move. The arrival addresses a clear need for a left back following the failed pursuit of their initial target.

Zinchenko joined Arsenal in the summer of 2022 and was a regular across his first two seasons at the club. Injuries then began to affect his career at the Emirates and competition for the left-back role intensified. Myles Lewis-Skelly’s breakout, plus the addition of Ricardo Calafiori last season and Jurrien Timber’s versatility, all contributed to Zinchenko struggling for minutes.

Earlier in the summer Zinchenko admitted that 2024–25 was the worst season he had experienced as a professional , managing just 23 appearances and less than 1,000 minutes across all competitions for Arsenal. Through three games this season he had been left out of Arteta’s squad, signalling that his time at the club was coming to an end until a suitor was found.

Ultimately Nottingham Forest, with former Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar involved in the move, completed the transfer for the wantaway left back. The switch is a late resolution to a situation that had left Zinchenko peripheral at Arsenal and provides Forest with an experienced option on the left flank ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Nuno Espirito Santo moved to shut down speculation about his future after Nottingham Forest’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, while underlining an urgent need for summer signings.

The Portuguese, who signed a new contract in June after guiding Forest to European football for the first time since 1995, admitted his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had deteriorated, in part because of the arrival of global head of football Edu Gaspar. Reports suggesting he might leave were rejected outright.

“Absolute nonsense. Absurd. This narrative, it’s absurd,”

retorted Nuno, when asked about the reports.

Pressed on whether he expected to remain in charge when the transfer window closes on September 1, he said: “I cannot answer that question, but what I know is that I am working and trying to do my job the best I can.”

Nuno insisted that a resolution was needed and that a conversation between the parties was the priority. “Of course, the situation has to be solved and we are responsible people. We can have a good conversation to create a good platform for what is more important, the team.

“We’re going to have it. We must. We need to have this conversation and we will have it. This is what I think is more important than anything.”

On the pitch, Callum Hudson-Odoi cancelled out Ismaila Sarr’s opener to earn Forest a draw at Selhurst Park. Nuno flagged a clear recruitment requirement, saying the club need at least three players, including one goalkeeper and two full-backs, to compete across four competitions. Forest are now expected to be in the Europa League as a consequence of Palace’s demotion to the Conference League over multi-club ownership rules.

The match featured banners from Palace supporters celebrating recent silverware, and one banner later criticised UEFA and Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. Chants also referenced John Textor.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner praised his players: “Credit to the players with how they are dealing with the situation,” said Glasner. “Having also the fourth game within two weeks being unbeaten, and in these four games we played Liverpool, Chelsea and Nottingham, three teams from the top seven of last year’s table.

“We know that we can play better football than we did in some parts, especially in the second half, and we know we will do this, but the legs are getting a bit fatigued with many players who played every single minute.

“That’s the situation now and clearly players are dealing well with it, being unbeaten, and I also think a draw is a fair result today.”

Selhurst Park hosted a match that felt like a sequel to a summer off-field dispute. The Eagles looked to get their own back after Forest’s complaint saw them relegated from the Europa League, and the fixture was billed as El CASico, as they’re calling it.

Security was increased, with a visible Met Police presence and heightened player protection. Behind one goal Palace supporters displayed a graphic banner depicting the Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and repeatedly chanted “F*** UEFA, F*** John Textor, F*** Marinakis”. Supporters of Europa League Forest were seated quietly at the other end and largely said little, apart from the occasional remark that Marinakis is “one of own”. Marinakis did not remain in view in the director’s box; cameras instead found England manager Thomas Tuchel among the stands.

The match itself was competitive and, at times, unrefined. Sarr brought a moment of relief for Palace when he swept home from Daniel Munoz’s cut-back to score Palace’s first home league goal of the campaign. The goal provided the clearest example of Palace’s attacking quality during a game in which neither side moved freely through the lines.

Both clubs arrived under pressure. Palace had opened their Conference League campaign with a nervy 1-0 play-off win at home to Fredrikstad on Thursday, the club’s first match in Europe in its long history. Eberechi Eze did not play that night and is now an Arsenal player, a departure that represents a £67.5million loss for Palace. For Forest, confidence from a win over Brentford was tempered by Nuno Espirito Santo’s admission in a press conference that he and Evangelos Marinakis do not speak as they used to, leaving Nuno’s position under threat as Forest prepare for European football.

Glasner’s selection decisions underlined Palace’s thin resources. Justin Devenny started and academy players Kaden Rodney and Rio Cardines were named, while Forest’s bench included Douglas Luiz, Omari Hutchinson and James McAtee. Nuno’s first substitutions removed Ndoye and Hudson-Odoi, the pair who had combined for Forest’s second-half equaliser.

By the final whistle the legal drama had faded into the background and the match finished as a draw, a fair result on the day. That’s not to say Palace have forgotten about the summer they were relegated without playing a game.