Bizarre case of Emmanuel Dennis: from Watford hotshot to Forest reject
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Jack Heath
Tue 26 August 2025 18:14, UK
Emmanuel Dennis has gone from exploding onto the Premier League scene to becoming surplus to requirements at Nottingham Forest.
After the signings of Igor Jesus from Botafogo and Arnaud Kalimuendo from Rennes, Nuno Espirito Santo can rest assured that he has talented supporting strikers to Chris Wood.
Taiwo Awoniyi has been knocked down the pecking order at the City Ground yet, there is a fifth striker for Forest who has become a forgotten man.
Step forward Dennis, signed by the Garibaldi back in August 2022 for a reported £20million (BBC Sport), the Nigerian has now become surplus to requirements at the club according to The Athletic (26 August).
But how did the former Watford starlet go from being a striking sensation to a complete flop at Forest?
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Back in his early 20s, the Nigeria international broke through with Club Brugge, scoring five goals across three seasons as a bit part player for the Belgian side.
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He featured in cameos in the Champions League and Europa League as well as a pointless loan spell at FC Koln in the Bundesliga.
Yet, his early potential caught the eye of the Hornets who brought him to west London in July 2021, playing under Xisco Munoz and legend Roy Hodgson.
Emmanuel Dennis 2021-22 Watford Premier LeagueAppearances33Minutes played2,644Goals10Assists6(Source: Sofascore)
In his first campaign at Vicarage Road, the forward impressed with his lightning speed and all-round attacking play grabbing admirers.
The five-foot-nine poacher bagged 10 goals and six assists that season, including an inspired purple patch in the build-up to the end of the calendar year as he achieved six goals and four assists in eight games from the end of October.
A quieter second half to the season, compounded by Watford’s relegation to the Championship, saw newly-promoted Forest swoop in for his services to bolster their relegation fight.
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Under Steve Cooper, the 27-year-old struggled to replicate the same form that brought him to owner Evangelos Marinakis’ attention as the forward was lacklustre, scoring just twice in 25 matches in his only season with the Garibaldis.
For the second half of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaign the Nigerian returned to Watford to revive his footballing promise.
However, as often is the case with players returning to old employers, the ex-Club Brugge front man could not find the spark he needed, netting just four times for the Hornets on his return.
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A brief spell at Basaksehir was sandwiched in between visiting Vicarage Road, where Turkey was not the delight in was designed to be for Dennis.
Now playing for Nuno Espirito Santo, the number 42 hoped he could be reintegrated into the fold alas, that was to not be the case.
The Portuguese manager and the club did not include the Nigeria international as part of the playing squad as the striker was sent to Blackburn Rovers for the second half of the 2024-25 campaign.
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Back in the second-tier of English football, 241 minutes was all the attacker could amass as he marched back to the City Ground with his tail in between his legs.
Dennis is just another example of a player who had one decent season and could never reach the same heights ever again.
Currently (26 August), with just one year left on his deal, the African will be desperately searching for a new employer after being dragged through the mud at Forest, unable to impress on his short-term loan spells.
In today’s market £20million might not be the huge outlay it once was but it is still a significant spend and one that, in this case, has ultimately proven one that hasn’t paid off.
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