Nottingham Forest have done a lot of things right since making their way back to the Premier League.
Their recruitment has played a big part in keeping them in the top flight for four years and counting, although there is still work to do this season to make sure they stay up.
When it comes to bringing in new players, Forest tend to get more right than wrong. But there are still the occasional missteps, and cutting those out will be important if the club want to keep moving forward in the Premier League.
Now, just days after the transfer window slammed shut, news of another departure has come to light. This one raises questions about a summer signing that initially looked promising but now seems misplaced.
Nottingham Forest look set to part ways with Cuiabano
BBC Sport reports that Cuiabano has signed a season-long loan deal with Vasco da Gama, which will keep him there until the end of the 2026 Brazilian season.
He arrived from Botafogo in the same window as Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha but remained on loan back in Brazil, unlike his two former teammates.
While he has played a few times for Forest’s B-Team and been seen in first-team training sessions, he still has not featured for the senior side.
That is surprising given Neco Williams was their only recognised left-back at the time.
With Luca Netz now joining from Borussia Monchengladbach, Forest have agreed to send the Brazilian defender out on loan again, this time for a fee of around £800,000. Vasco also have an option to buy him outright for roughly £8 million.
Cuiabano’s transfer appears somewhat unusual, but the expectation is that he will quickly settle in at his new club and secure the regular playing time he needs.
What this means for Nottingham Forest going forward
Cuiabano looked like an intriguing addition before joining – at least based on highlight reels from his time at Botafogo.
But not every signing from Brazil has been a success story for Forest. For every Murillo or Igor Jesus, there have also been players like Gustavo Scarpa and Carlos Miguel who have not panned out as hoped.
Cuiabano seems likely to join that list now, similar to Josh Bowler and Hwang Ui-jo who never featured in competitive matches.
It is another miss on the recruitment record that Forest will need to address moving forward if they want better results in future windows.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
