Nottingham Forest are looking forward to being back in the Premier League for the first time in 23 years, but will do so without one of the players who did the most to get them back there.
The writing has been on the wall for some time after Forest brought in Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson on the loan. Samba’s deal was expiring next summer and he had made it clear to the club that he would not be renewing his contract.
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— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) July 5, 2022
On Tuesday evening, Ligue 1 side RC Lens announced an agreement for Samba, although no fee was given. Nottinghamshire Live referenced a L’Equipe report which set the fee at £4.3m.
Samba made a series of crucial saves in the Championship Play-Off semi-final to see Forest through to the final and without him, may well not have made it to the top division. Even if Henderson could arguably be called an upgrade on Samba, Forest fans will surely feel a pang of regret that Samba is leaving after three years and a significant contribution.
