A year ago, Matz Sels was preparing for a quiet transfer to Nottingham Forest, a move that seemed to lack the fanfare of more high-profile signings. The 2024 January transfer window was overshadowed by the looming threat of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), which severely limited clubs’ ability to make significant signings. With only 17 permanent deals completed by Premier League clubs, the excitement around transfers was low. Amidst this backdrop, Sels’ move to Forest went largely unnoticed, failing to make it into BBC Sport’s list of the ‘most interesting’ transfers of the window.
At first glance, it seemed like just another case of a player joining a club trapped in a cycle of chaos. Forest, already embroiled in a relegation fight, had spent £5m to secure the services of the Belgian goalkeeper as their third No. 1 of the season. Sels was stepping into a high-stakes situation, leaving the relative comfort of Strasbourg in Ligue 1 to join a club battling for survival in the Premier League. It was his first return to English football since a single season at Newcastle United almost a decade ago. Despite the uncertain circumstances, Sels accepted the challenge, knowing that he was taking a gamble in joining Forest’s relegation battle.
Sels made his debut in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on February 4, 2024, with Forest sitting third from bottom and just three points from safety. To make matters worse, the club was also facing the threat of a points deduction due to PSR, which later came to pass with a four-point penalty. It was a bleak scenario, but a year later, Sels’ gamble appears to have paid off in spectacular fashion.
Forest have defied expectations, going into their next match against Bournemouth at Vitality Stadium sitting in third place, just six points behind league leaders Liverpool. Sels has played a central role in this turnaround, leading the race for the Premier League’s Golden Glove with nine clean sheets and contributing to a defense that has been among the best in the league. “I knew when I signed they were searching for a goalkeeper and I knew it was to keep the team in the league,” Sels told BBC Sport. “When you take a goalkeeper in January, most of the time it’s when the team is in difficulties. But I knew the situation when I signed, and I saw a lot of quality in the squad.”
Sels’ impact this season contrasts sharply with his previous stint at Newcastle in 2016, where his time in England was largely forgettable. After joining the Magpies from Gent, where he had been a champion in Belgium, Sels made just 14 appearances for the club, nine of them in the Championship. When Newcastle returned to the Premier League in 2017, Sels was loaned out to Anderlecht. Reflecting on his time at Newcastle, Sels admitted that it was a challenging experience, as he was only 22 and adjusting to life abroad. “Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not work so well. Sometimes a bad experience makes you stronger,” he says, acknowledging that difficult moments can help you grow.
Off the pitch, Sels is also thriving. He and his family have settled well in England after uprooting their lives from France, where they had lived for over five years. Sels notes the importance of his family’s happiness in ensuring his success on the field. “If the family doesn’t feel well, at one certain moment it’s going to turn because the family will want to move back to Belgium or somewhere else,” he explains. “It’s an important thing that the family are feeling well so you can play well on the pitch.”
Sels’ performances on the pitch have been crucial to Forest’s resurgence this season. The club has conceded only 22 goals in 22 games, a tally bettered only by Liverpool and Arsenal. His save percentage of 74.4% is the best of any goalkeeper who has played more than seven games in the Premier League this season. His stellar performances have been a key part of Forest’s remarkable turnaround, which has seen them rise from relegation candidates to genuine contenders.
In their last eight matches, Forest have only dropped points in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool, where Sels was outstanding, making crucial saves to deny Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah. While Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has refused to entertain questions about Champions League aspirations or a potential title challenge, Sels admits that the team’s perspective has changed. “We cannot say anymore it’s about staying in the league,” he says. “We try to do everything to aim as high as possible, but if you want to be there at the top, you need to keep teams like Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Newcastle behind you.”
Sels is careful not to get ahead of himself, acknowledging that it’s still early in the season and that Forest must remain grounded. “It’s still too early [to talk about the Champions League]. We cannot win all the games, we are going to concede goals, but it’s how we cope with that,” he says. “To speak about the title is out of the context. We are trying to achieve something great but we will see at the end of the season.”
Sels’ journey, from being overlooked in the transfer window to becoming a key figure in Forest’s defense, is a testament to the unpredictability of football. What seemed like a low-key transfer has turned into a pivotal chapter in both his career and Nottingham Forest’s season. As the team continues to climb the Premier League standings, Sels’ story serves as a reminder of the value of perseverance, resilience, and the unexpected turns that can change a career.
