Nottingham Forest Sign Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace for £22m
Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of Daniel Muñoz from Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to £22m, handing Oliver Glasner a familiar face on the right flank for the season ahead.
The Colombia international arrives at the City Ground on a three-year contract, with Forest holding an option for a fourth. At 30, he comes in as a ready-made starter, not a project, and reunites with Glasner after their successful spell together at Selhurst Park.
Palace’s stance softened once they moved for Anan Khalaili from Union Saint-Gilloise, a deal that effectively opened the exit door for Muñoz. The London club bank a clear profit, having paid £8.5m to sign him from Genk in January 2024, and move on from a defender who played a central role in their Conference League and FA Cup triumphs.
Forest’s late-window push
Muñoz may not be the last arrival at the City Ground before the window shuts.
Forest are weighing up a late move for Newcastle forward Jacob Murphy as they look to bolster their attacking options following Omari Hutchinson’s departure to AC Milan. Newcastle have not yet been formally approached, but Forest interest has been noted earlier in the window, with Everton also among the admirers.
Newcastle have their own attacking rebuild in mind, tracking Lille’s Matias Fernandes Pardo and Stuttgart’s Bilal El Khannouss as they look to refresh their forward line. Any decision on Murphy will be made against that backdrop.
There is movement around Forest’s outgoing business too. Eintracht Frankfurt are in talks to re-sign Arnaud Kalimuendo on loan after his spell there in the second half of last season. The German club want another loan, this time potentially with an option to buy. Kalimuendo was left out of Forest’s matchday 18 for the 2-2 draw at Liverpool, underlining how live those discussions have become.
A separate chase has already collapsed. Forest’s proposed move for Harrison Armstrong from Everton is off, with the Everton board unanimously deciding not to sell after receiving an approach.
Palace shut door on Henderson – and brace for more movement
If Forest want another signing from Selhurst Park, they will have to look elsewhere.
Crystal Palace have no intention of selling any more players to Forest before the deadline. That includes goalkeeper and captain Dean Henderson. Reports last week suggested Forest had lodged a bid, but Henderson has been ruled off limits. Club figures have made it clear he will not be allowed to leave before the window closes as Palace look to back new head coach Pierre Sage.
Their incoming business, though, is far from done.
Palace are close to an agreement with Atalanta for Honest Ahanor on a season-long loan. The plan is for the forward to spend the campaign at Selhurst Park before joining Chelsea permanently next summer, with Chelsea in talks over a fee of around £40m with Atalanta. Because Axel Disasi is already on loan at Palace from Chelsea, Ahanor must arrive directly from the Italian club rather than via Stamford Bridge.
On the other side of the ledger, Ismaila Sarr wants to leave before the deadline. Palace insist the Senegal international is not for sale and point to a contract that runs until 2029, but interest is circling. Liverpool made an approach in the past week, with Sarr one of several options under consideration at Anfield, alongside Yankuba Minteh at Brighton.
Sarr has missed Palace’s first two games of the season through injury, yet his situation will be watched closely as the clock ticks towards Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.
Forest have their wing-back. Palace have their profit. The final hours of the window will decide which club reads this day as the start of something bigger.
