CLUB SNAPSHOT: At a Glance
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Club | Nottingham Forest FC |
| League | Premier League |
| Manager | Oliver Glasner |
| Stadium | City Ground |
| Nickname | The Reds |
| Founded | 1865 |
| First Choice | Matz Sels |
| Summer Signing | Steven Benda (free from Fulham) |
| Returning from Injury | John Victor |
| Academy Option | Aaron Bott |
The Defining Moment
Nottingham Forest’s goalkeeping department entered the 2026/27 season in a state of quiet fragility. The departures of Stefan Ortega and Angus Gunn on free transfers left the club with just two senior options: Matz Sels, the Belgian who had been number one for two seasons, and John Victor, a Brazilian still recovering from the serious knee injury that ended his 2025/26 campaign in January.
The defining moment of Forest’s goalkeeping summer came not on the pitch, but in the boardroom. When Club Brugge approached Sels, Forest responded decisively: they triggered the 12-month extension in his contract, tying him to the City Ground until 2028, and informed the Belgian side that their number one was not for sale. It was a statement of intent from a club that had spent the previous season cycling through managers and needed stability in its most foundational position.
Sels was not a glamorous choice. He was not a statement signing. He was, however, a reliable one — and in a summer of upheaval, reliability was precisely what Forest required.
The supporting cast was assembled with pragmatism. Steven Benda arrived on a free transfer from Fulham, a 27-year-old German who had spent three seasons at Craven Cottage without establishing himself, loaned to Millwall and Feyenoord in the previous campaign. “Steven is an experienced player who we feel will add depth and competition to our current group of goalkeepers,” said chief football officer George Syrianos. John Victor remained, his future uncertain, his knee still healing.
This is the story of Nottingham Forest’s 2026/27 goalkeepers: a Belgian veteran holding the line, a Brazilian fighting for a future that may lie elsewhere, and a supporting cast of stopgaps and prospects.
Tactical Context
Oliver Glasner’s Forest is a team that, statistically, performs better than its results suggest. Across the opening nine league matches, Forest registered a higher Expected Goals than their opponents in seven of them, yet scored just six goals and sat 16th in the table. The problem was not defensive organisation in the aggregate; it was the twin failures of converting chances and, at times, keeping them out at the other end.
Sels started every league match of the season’s first phase, playing all 810 minutes across nine appearances in all competitions. His save percentage of 62.5% was respectable without being exceptional. He conceded 1.33 goals per 90, a figure that reflected both the quality of chances Forest allowed and the limitations of a goalkeeper who, at 34, relies on positioning and experience rather than reflex.
The tactical demand on Forest’s goalkeeper is specific. Glasner’s system requires a keeper comfortable with the ball at his feet, capable of initiating build-up against pressing forwards. Sels is competent in this regard, though not a sweeper-keeper in the modern elite mould. His distribution is functional rather than progressive. The alternative, John Victor, offered a different profile — more athletic, more aggressive off his line — but his error against Aston Villa before his injury had exposed the risks of that approach.
The deeper issue was squad construction. With Ortega and Gunn gone, Forest had no senior third option until Benda’s arrival. An injury to Sels in the opening weeks would have forced Victor into action before he was fully fit, or handed the gloves to Aaron Bott, a 21-year-old academy graduate who had trained with the first team but never started a Premier League match. The fragility was structural, and it persisted into the season.
The Goalkeepers
Matz Sels
Sels is the anchor of Forest’s goalkeeping department and the player upon whom Glasner’s defensive structure depends. The 34-year-old Belgian joined from Strasbourg for £5 million in 2024 and has since made 96 appearances for the club, establishing himself as a reliable if unspectacular presence between the posts.
His profile is that of the traditional shot-stopper. He is not a sweeper-keeper; he does not aggressively claim crosses outside his six-yard box; he does not launch counter-attacks with 60-yard passes. What he does is occupy the right positions, make the saves he should make, and provide a calm presence behind a defence that has, at times, been anything but calm.
The numbers from 2026/27 reflect this. Across nine appearances in all competitions, Sels faced 32 shots on target and saved 20, a save percentage of 62.5%. He kept just one clean sheet. His goals-against average of 1.33 per 90 was mid-table among Premier League goalkeepers, neither a weakness nor a strength.
The concern is age. At 34, Sels is entering the final phase of his career. Forest triggered his extension to 2028 not because they believe he will be their number one for three more years, but because they could not afford to lose him in a summer when replacements were scarce and expensive. The question of succession looms, unresolved.
John Victor
Victor is the great unknown of Forest’s goalkeeping department. The Brazilian arrived from Botafogo in August 2025, fresh from a season in which he had played a key role in the club’s Brazilian Serie A and Copa Libertadores triumphs. The expectation was that he would provide genuine competition for Sels, perhaps even supplant him.
Instead, his Forest career has stalled. He made just 12 appearances before a serious knee injury against Aston Villa in January ended his season. In those appearances, he had not convinced. A gaffe in one of his early matches had exposed a rawness that the Premier League punishes ruthlessly. The injury came at the worst possible moment, halting any momentum he might have built.
Now, with the January window approaching, Victor’s future is uncertain. Flamengo and Vasco da Gama are preparing bids, with reports suggesting both Brazilian clubs could pay up to €7 million for his signature. The 30-year-old is seeking a return to his homeland, where regular football and a familiar environment await. Forest must decide whether to recoup their investment or retain a backup who has yet to prove he belongs.
Steven Benda
Benda’s arrival on a free transfer was a signing of necessity rather than ambition. The 27-year-old German spent three seasons at Fulham, making just four cup appearances, and spent the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Millwall and Feyenoord. He is, by any measure, a third-choice goalkeeper at a mid-table Premier League club.
His role is clear: provide cover, push Sels in training, and be ready if called upon. Syrianos described him as someone who “will work hard every day to push his teammates to keep standards high.” That is the language of a squad player, not a challenger for the starting role.
At 27, Benda has time to develop, but his ceiling appears limited. He is a competent professional, not a future number one.
Aaron Bott
Bott is the academy option, a 21-year-old who regularly trained with the first team and featured on the bench in the Europa League last season. He represents the club’s commitment to developing internal solutions, but he is not yet ready for Premier League football. His presence on the bench is a reflection of squad constraints rather than a statement of readiness.
The Numbers Game
Table A: Nottingham Forest Goalkeeper Premier League Statistics (2026/27)
| Player | Apps (Starts) | Minutes | Goals Against | Clean Sheets | Save % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matz Sels | 6 (6) | 540 | 8 | 1 | 65.2% |
| John Victor | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Steven Benda | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Table B: Nottingham Forest Goalkeeper Unit – Key Metrics (2026/27)
| Metric | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Sels Goals Against per 90 | 1.33 | Mid-table among PL goalkeepers |
| Sels Save Percentage | 62.5% | All competitions, 9 appearances |
| Sels Clean Sheet % | 11.1% | One clean sheet in nine matches |
| Senior Goalkeepers on Books | 3 | Sels, Victor, Benda |
| Victor’s Forest Appearances | 12 | Since joining August 2025 |
Table C: Goalkeeper Career Context & Pedigree
| Player | Nationality | Previous Clubs | Style Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matz Sels | Belgium | Strasbourg, Newcastle, Anderlecht | Traditional shot-stopper, positional, experienced |
| John Victor | Brazil | Botafogo | Athletic, aggressive, raw, returning from injury |
| Steven Benda | Germany | Fulham, Swansea, Feyenoord (loan) | Third-choice cover, professional, limited ceiling |
| Aaron Bott | England | Nottingham Forest Academy | Development prospect, bench option |
Tactical Identity & Squad Balance
Forest’s goalkeeping unit is a study in pragmatic scarcity. The club entered the season with two senior goalkeepers, one of whom was recovering from a serious knee injury, and a 21-year-old academy graduate as emergency cover. Benda’s arrival on a free transfer addressed the most glaring gap, but it did not transform the department from a position of strength into one of depth.
The numbers tell a story of adequacy rather than excellence. Sels conceded 1.33 goals per 90 across the season’s opening phase, a figure that placed him in the middle of the Premier League’s goalkeeping cohort. He made the saves he was expected to make; he did not make the extraordinary ones that transform draws into victories. For a team that struggled to score — six goals in nine league matches — the margin between a save and a goal was often the margin between a point and none.
The supporting cast offers little reassurance. Benda is a stopgap. Victor, if he stays, is a player whose confidence appears damaged and whose future lies elsewhere. Bott is a prospect, not a solution. If Sels suffers an injury or a loss of form, Forest have no proven alternative.
The January window presents a decision. Victor’s suitors in Brazil offer an opportunity to recoup funds and clear a squad place. But selling him would leave Forest with Sels, Benda, and Bott — a thin trio for the second half of a Premier League season. The alternative is to retain a disgruntled player who has made clear his desire to leave. Neither option is attractive.
The Verdict from the Camp
George Syrianos, Forest Chief Football Officer, on Steven Benda:
“Steven is an experienced player who we feel will add depth and competition to our current group of goalkeepers. Steven is someone who we know will work hard every day to push his teammates to keep standards high at the training ground, and we are sure he will fit in with the strong culture we have at the Club.”
BBC Sport on Forest’s goalkeeping depth:
“Forest do have Matz Sels and John Victor, but another goalkeeper would be useful for boss Oliver Glasner, just to add some cover. After the exits of Stefan Ortega and Angus Gunn, any injury to Sels or Victor would leave Forest struggling for senior cover.”
BBC Sport on Sels’ contract extension:
“The goalkeeper is now tied to the City Ground until 2028 after the club activated a 12-month extension last week. It came after Club Brugge asked about the 34-year-old’s availability, with Forest stating Sels was not for sale.”
Where Next?
Nottingham Forest’s goalkeeping priority is clear: they need Sels to stay fit, and they need to resolve Victor’s future. The Belgian has been reliable, if not exceptional, and his experience is invaluable in a squad that has lacked stability. But at 34, he cannot be the long-term answer.
The January window offers an opportunity to address the succession question. A young goalkeeper with first-team potential — someone who can challenge Sels now and replace him in 2027/28 — would be the ideal addition. Whether Forest’s financial constraints allow such a move remains to be seen.
Victor’s departure, if it happens, will leave a gap that Benda cannot fill. The Brazilian’s time at the City Ground has been disappointing, but he remains a senior international with Champions League experience. Selling him without a replacement would be a gamble.
For now, Forest’s goalkeepers are a unit defined by adequacy. Sels will keep his place, Benda will provide cover, and Victor will wait for a move. The question is whether adequacy is enough to keep a club with Forest’s ambitions in the Premier League. The early-season evidence suggests it might be — just.
