Emmanuel Dennis: English Premier League Club Terminate Contract of Super Eagles Striker
- Nottingham Forest has confirmed the departure of Emmanuel Dennis after terminating the Nigerian forward’s contract
- The Super Eagles forward was loaned to Istanbul Basaksehir, Watford, and Blackburn in a bid to regain his form
- Dennis' high wages were reportedly part of the reason Nottingham Forest terminated the forward’s contract
English Premier League side Nottingham Forest have officially confirmed the departure of Emmanuel Dennis from the club after both parties agreed to mutually terminate his contract.
The decision ends a troubled spell for the 27-year-old Super Eagles striker at the City Ground, following his big-money move from Watford in 2022.
Source: Getty Images
A star that refused to shine
Dennis joined Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2022 for a reported £10 million fee, arriving with high expectations after a brilliant season with Watford, Daily Post reports.
During the 2021/22 Premier League season, the Super Eagles forward was Watford’s best player, registering double figures in goals and assists, and even earning a nomination for the Premier League Player of the Month in November 2021.
Joining Nottingham Forest did not prove fruitful for Dennis as he struggled to cement a regular starting spot under successive Forest managers.
Forest confirmed the termination of the Nigerian’s contract in a brief statement on social media, writing:
“Nottingham Forest can confirm that Emmanuel Dennis has left the Club following the mutual termination of his contract. We wish Emmanuel well for the future.”
An expected end for Dennis at Forest
During his three years at Forest, Dennis spent more time on loan than in the first team.
The Super Eagles forward was sent out to Turkish giants Istanbul Basaksehir for the 2023/24 season, where he managed a handful of appearances but struggled to replicate his best form.
Dennis later returned to Watford on loan, and more recently joined Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers for the 2024/25 campaign.
Reason for contract termination
Dennis’ inability to secure a consistent place in Forest’s squad meant his salary, reportedly around £40,000 per week, became a burden for the Premier League club, Punch reports.
Source: Getty Images
By terminating the Nigerian’s contract, Forest have freed up significant resources that could be reinvested in strengthening their squad.
The mutual termination marks the end of a chapter that never quite lived up to its promise, as Forest will move forward without him, while Dennis now faces the challenge of writing the next chapter of his career.
What next for the Super Eagles striker?
At just 27, Dennis still has plenty of football ahead of him and remains an asset for the Super Eagles when fit and in form.
For Nigeria, Dennis’ club struggles have often impacted his national team involvement, and with the 2026 World Cup qualifiers underway, a fresh start at club level could kickstart his Super Eagles career again.
Another Super Eagles star sacked
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that a Super Eagles midfielder has been told he is free to leave his English club after his disciplinary issues reached their peak ahead of the new season.
EFL League Once club Barnsley have decided that Nigerian international footballer Kelechi Nwakali is free to leave the club this summer.
Source: Legit.ng
