Nottingham Forest have received a positive team news update ahead of their Premier League clash with Leeds United, with manager Oliver Glasner confirming that only two players are unavailable for selection.
Ryan Yates and Savona will both miss the matchday squad, but Forest still have a strong group of 23 fit players available for the important encounter.
The update will come as encouraging news for Forest supporters, particularly with the club preparing for the opening stages of another demanding Premier League campaign.
Glasner has been closely monitoring his players throughout pre-season as he prepares to select his first Forest Premier League starting XI.
However, the Forest boss confirmed that Yates and Savona will not be involved when his side take on Leeds.
Speaking ahead of the meeting on Trentside, Glasner explained that the two players are the only absentees he has to deal with ahead of the fixture.
“Ryan Yates and Savona won’t make the matchday squad,” Glasner confirmed.
The manager also revealed that Forest have 23 players available, meaning he will have to leave five fit players out of the matchday squad.
That situation highlights the level of competition within the Forest squad, with several players having the opportunity to impress during pre-season.
Glasner admitted that every player has had the chance to demonstrate that they can contribute to the team’s ambitions during the preparations.
“Everyone has had a chance to show through pre-season that they can help the team in winning games,” the Forest manager said.
With so many players available, Glasner now faces difficult decisions over who will make the final squad and who will have to watch the match from outside the group.
The manager will therefore have to carefully consider his options before confirming the team for the Leeds encounter.
While Yates is unavailable for the fixture, the biggest concern surrounds Savona and the latest setback in his recovery.
The Italian defender missed the end of last season after undergoing surgery in March as he continued to deal with his injury.
Forest had initially hoped that Savona would be further along in his recovery by this stage.
However, Glasner revealed that the defender suffered a minor setback after his knee reacted to the workload more than expected.
The setback has forced Forest to take a more cautious approach with the player’s rehabilitation.
Rather than pushing Savona back onto the grass too quickly, the club has taken a step back and returned him to gym-based work.
Glasner explained that Savona is currently working in the gym while also focusing on strengthening and rehabilitating his knee.
The Forest boss does not expect the defender to return immediately, with the latest timeline suggesting that he could need a couple more weeks before getting back on the grass.
“We thought he would be further than where he is now,” Glasner explained when discussing Savona’s recovery.
He added that the player’s knee reacted more than expected to the workload, forcing the club to adjust the rehabilitation programme.
For Forest, the priority will be ensuring that Savona makes a complete recovery rather than rushing him back into competitive action.
The defender will now continue his rehabilitation work as the club waits for him to return to full training.
His absence means Glasner will have to rely on his other defensive options for the opening fixture against Leeds.
Fortunately for Forest, the manager has plenty of alternatives available after a full pre-season programme.
Forest’s final pre-season fixture saw the team claim a friendly victory over Stade Brestois, although Yates was not involved in that match.
Yates had featured in the second half of Forest’s previous friendly against Bayer Leverkusen before missing the final pre-season outing.
His absence from the final preparation game had raised questions about his availability for the opening Premier League fixture.
Glasner has now provided clarity by confirming that Yates will not be included in the matchday squad against Leeds.
The midfielder’s absence will give other players an opportunity to step forward and impress the manager.
Forest will be hoping that the rest of the squad can remain fit as they prepare for what could be an important opening fixture.
The clash with Leeds represents an early opportunity for Glasner and his players to make a strong statement.
With the majority of his squad available, the Forest boss has plenty of options when it comes to deciding his starting XI.
However, having 23 fit players also means that several players who are fully available will not even make the matchday squad.
Glasner acknowledged that this will make his selection process difficult because every player has had an opportunity to show what they can offer during pre-season.
The Forest manager will now have to balance form, fitness and tactical requirements before making his final decisions.
The situation also underlines the importance of squad depth as Forest prepare for the challenges of Premier League football.
Having a large number of fit players gives Glasner different tactical options and allows him to make changes during the match if necessary.
For Yates and Savona, however, the Leeds fixture will come too soon.
Yates will have to continue his recovery away from the matchday group, while Savona will remain focused on getting his knee back to full strength.
There is no suggestion that Forest want to rush Savona’s return, especially after the minor setback he has already experienced.
The club will instead continue to monitor his progress before allowing him to resume work on the grass.
Glasner’s expectation is that Savona could need a couple more weeks before reaching that stage of his rehabilitation.
That means supporters may have to wait a little longer before seeing the defender return to full training.
Despite the two absentees, Forest can still approach the Leeds clash with confidence given the number of players available to Glasner.
The manager now has a difficult but positive selection headache as he prepares to name his first Premier League XI.
Forest supporters will be eager to see which players have done enough during pre-season to earn a starting role.
The final decision will be made by Glasner, with the manager insisting that every member of the squad has had the opportunity to prove their value.
For now, the main team news is clear: Yates and Savona will miss the Leeds match, while the rest of the available squad will compete for places.
Forest will therefore head into the fixture with a largely healthy squad, although Savona’s continued absence remains something supporters will be watching closely.
The defender’s recovery will be managed carefully over the coming weeks as Forest look to get him back on the grass and eventually available for competitive action.
Attention now turns to Glasner’s final selection and the Forest team that will take on Leeds in their latest Premier League challenge.