The mood of Nottingham Forest’s pre-season training camp in Portugal last summer set the tone for what was to come. For very different and entirely more positive reasons, the club will hope that the same applies 12 months on.In July 2025, the first seeds of unrest had been sown by then head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, who was vocally unhappy about how quickly Forest’s transfer recruitment activity was moving and with changes made to the hierarchy.This time around — as new head coach Oliver Glasner finds his feet as the fourth man to take charge since Nuno’s subsequent departure in early September — the environment in the Algarve, around Forest’s training camp on the outskirts of seaside resort town Vilamoura, is one of calm positivity.Three weeks into his new role, the former Crystal Palace boss has arrived armed with ambition, but a realistic sense of what is required if he is to lead Forest back to the levels that saw them finish seventh in the Premier League, and secure a return to the European stage, under Nuno in 2024-25.Watching the squad train in the blazing sunshine on the training pitches next to the 30,000-capacity Estadio Algarve — which has hosted three games at the 2004 European Championship and international fixtures for the national teams of Portugal and nearby Gibraltar — the atmosphere is a blend of hard work and fun.Oliver Glasner is a coach who likes to be on the training ground with his players (Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)Glasner is a coach who likes to be hands-on and relishes working with his squad at training. The Forest players have spoken of the 51-year-old Austrian and his assistants focusing on the ethos and identity they want to instil.Early signs of this have been evident in friendly wins over Notts County of third-tier League One (2-0) and Blackburn Rovers of the Championship, one division higher, as Forest work to adapt to the 3-4-2-1 formation that helped Palace win the FA Cup and UEFA Conference League under Glasner in the previous two seasons.“It is exciting. The way he wants to play is already really clear. We are all really excited about what is to come,” said defender Zach Abbott in an interview with journalists after the 3-0 defeat of Blackburn last Wednesday.But Glasner believes there is work to be done off the pitch, too. He has had numerous conversations with Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis about their shared ambitions and intentions, including over dinner while out in Portugal.After the addition of free agent midfielder Xaver Schlager from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig — who Glasner had worked with at fellow Germans Wolfsburg — Forest want a further four signings before the window closes on September 1. A central defender, a full-back, another central midfielder and a striker are the priorities.Forest are finalising the details of a move for centre-back Ousmane Diomande, 22, from Lisbon-based Portuguese side Sporting CP that could be worth around £35million if expected add-ons are achieved. Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall remains the main target in central midfield, although the clubs continue to have different valuations of the 20-year-old Sweden international. There is hope at the City Ground that a deal can be done.Forest have been linked with Givairo Read, a 20-year-old at Dutch side Feyenoord, who would fill the right-back vacancy, while Glasner believes the addition of a physical forward needs to be high on that list of priorities — with the evidence of the last three or four top-flight seasons being the motivation.Glasner looks at the Premier League’s top goalscorers in recent years and sees that the majority of them have been imposing forwards — the likes of Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, Jean-Philippe Mateta, who he coached for three seasons at Palace, and Forest’s Chris Wood.Forest continue to rate Wood highly and he continues to be seen as a key figure — the club hope the New Zealand captain can repeat the heroics of that 2024-25 campaign, when he scored 20 league goals — but there is also an understanding that he is 35 in December and is carrying a knee issue that will need to be managed for the rest of his playing career.Taiwo Awoniyi is viewed as a positive influence and useful to have in the squad, but has been impacted by injuries over his four years at the club.While his former employers Eintracht Frankfurt retain an interest in Arnaud Kalimuendo, Glasner would be happy to see him stay — but equally, he is not seen as an option to lead the line, more as somebody who can play as a second striker or a No 10. Igor Jesus has scored three goals in three pre-season appearances and is regarded as being a player with significant potential but is also not entirely suited to that lone role up top.Forest will continue to build their team around Morgan Gibbs-White but do not want to rely on him as their main source of goals — the 15 he scored as an attacking midfielder last season were crucial to them avoiding relegation. Glasner’s approach normally involves two No 10 types, which would in theory give opportunities to the likes of Jesus, Kalimuendo and Omari Hutchinson.Nikola Milenkovic is likely to play in a back three instead of a back four under Glasner (Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)Forest do not plan to sell any of their other major assets, following the £116million departure of England midfielder Elliot Anderson to Manchester City.Glasner would like to bring in another forward player, to compete with Awoniyi and Dan Ndoye, who is capable of getting in behind defences — somebody who can stretch opposition sides with his physicality and pace. Forest have no plans to make a move for Mateta, with the France international still working to overcome the knee injury he battled last season.There is a desire to add physical presence to the squad, equipped to thrive at set-pieces, at both ends of the pitch. This is why Forest believe Diomande will be an important signing, as it will leave them with three central defenders, along with Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo, who all have different qualities and can help balance out the weaknesses of others.Glasner produced a balance at the back with Palace, where Marc Guehi had hugely intelligent instincts but was not the strongest in the air, Chris Richards was one of the best headers in the team but lacked pace, and Maxence Lacroix was tall and could play out from the back.Milenkovic is a leader and a proper defender who is strong in the air but he isn’t the fastest and Murillo’s aerial strength is not his biggest asset but he has pace, can play out from the back and is a capable defender. Diomande is quick and would add more physical presence, as well as being confident on the ball.Are £100m midfielders the new normal?Tifo Football and moreForest are pleased with Jair Cunha’s progress but want to manage the 21-year-old Brazilian’s development after six league starts, among nine top-flight appearances, in his 2025-26 debut season.Glasner hopes to operate with a squad of 20 to 22 outfield players, with numbers bolstered by academy kids, and wants everyone in the first-team group to feel involved. There is a desire for Forest to play with more intensity and higher up the pitch, but the new staff recognise that asking for too much change too quickly would be unwise.In one sense, Glasner has already had a positive impact.Forest scored only once in seven pre-season games last year, ahead of that chaotic campaign. They may only be friendly fixtures, but Glasner’s side have six goals after three matches and, more importantly, the club appear to be armed with a plan that might bring some much-needed stability.