Nottingham Forest have started their summer business early, with three Brazilians set to sign from Botafogo for a joint sum of €35m (£29.5m)
The Premier League season might have just ended but Nottingham Forest are making moves to strengthen the squad after a seventh-place finish and qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
Striker Igor Jesus, left-sided Cuiabano and centre-back Jair Cunha won the Brasileirão and the Copa Libertadores last season with Botafogo, a rare double in Brazilian football.
Jesus is the eldest of the trio, but still only 24, and joined Botafogo on a free transfer from the UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli Club last July. He received an international call-up in October, scoring nine goals and assisting four since signing for the Rio de Janeiro-based club.
South American football expert Tim Vickery says: “The jewel in the crown is the centre-forward Igor Jesus… he’s everything you want from a centre-forward. He’s strong, he’s quick, he works the channels, he defends like a lion, he’s a very, very good player.”
The 22-year-old Cuiabano has been watched by Brighton & Hove Albion and can play anywhere on the left. As Nathan Joyes from The Copa Club says: “Cuiabano is phenomenal at pressing opposition full-backs, forcing them into mistakes and turning over possession into his favour. A player confident in his own ability, the Brazilian has the pace to work up and down the channel, supporting at both ends of the pitch.”
The 20-year-old Cunha is 6’5” tall and, despite a lack of senior games, Joyes believes he can “step in ahead of Morato”.
🚨🌳 Nottingham Forest have sealed triple deal with Botafogo for €35m transfer fee.
Igor Jesus, Jair and Cuiabano will all join #NFFC as documents are being completed for Brazilian players. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/xY5ByuBKrV
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 4, 2025
With the season only just finished, and Botafogo competing in the Club World Cup, the deals are expected to be completed after the club’s involvement in the tournament ends.
Danilo has been linked with a €25m (£21m) move to Lyon, while Matt Turner who spent last season on loan at Crystal Palace could also join the Ligue 1 club. The three clubs — Botafogo, Lyon and Palace — are all connected to US businessman John Textor, who is the owner of Eagle Football which has controlling interests in the first two and a 45% shareholding in the South London club.
The sub-plot currently playing out is that the Eagles’ place in the Europa League is under scrutiny due to Textor’s involvement in Lyon, who qualified for the same competition. And Forest would take Palace’s place if they could not play, with Brighton taking a place in the Conference League.
Botafogo are in Group B of the Club World Cup with Atletico Madrid, PSG and Seattle Sounders, with games broadcast for free on DAZN.
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