Seven signings in a single day. Eight, if you include the one they made late in the night on the day before Transfer Deadline Day.

To some, this will seem scatter-gun, or indulgent. Reckless, even. But make no mistake – this was a deliberate and calculated business plan, enacted by Nottingham Forest’s owner Evangelos Marinakis.

The Greek businessman loves Deadline Day. He loves the brinksmanship of it all, the elaborate, high-stakes poker game that inevitably results from trying to do much of your transfer business in the final few hours.

But sources close to Marinakis have explained to me it is a deliberate strategy. One born of being involved in the business of football for decades. One that is based entirely on his belief that the best players are available at the best prices, when their options for a transfer are running out.

If you analyse the players Forest signed, there is no overlap. Instead, there is a broad strengthening of their squad, a deliberate plan enacted in spectacular fashion.

One Goalkeeper

Odysseas Vlachodimos. A player who is of undoubted quality, and who had a major falling out with his coach at Benfica. Forest saw an opportunity to exploit that damaged relationship, and pounced. A £7.7m fee could be an excellent investment. The fact that Vlachodimos was at the City Ground with his wife and two young children shows that this was no last minute, panic buy.

Two centre-backs

Murillo, the young Brazilian from Corinthians. Forest think he is a real talent, but don’t necessarily expect him to play immediately. They know it will take some time for him to adapt to the culture in the UK, and the very different style of football in the Premier League. But his athleticism and ability on the ball, they think, mean he could have a big future.

In Andrew Omobamidele, they again saw a young player with a big future. One who already has experience of the Championship, Premier League, and international football with Republic of Ireland. And he is one that should, they hope, adapt more quickly to his new environment, and one who, despite being still just 21, has a wealth of club experience. He’s played 40 senior matches since the start of last season, and so offers important cover in the middle of Forest’s defence.

One full-back

One of undoubted ability. Nuno Tavares on loan from Arsenal – but importantly, with an option to buy him for £12m, which would be something of a bargain if he can fulfil his potential at the City Ground. Frustrated by a lack of opportunities at the Emirates, Tavares will have those opportunities to impress in Nottingham.

Two midfielders

Ibrahim Sangare. The man seen as a marquee signing in Forest’s corridors of power. The man that Forest’s media team organised a flashing lights show for just before midnight, with the City Ground’s floodlights, for a special club TV welcome video.

While £30m is serious money for a club like Forest, it was only spent once they were sure that Brennan Johnson’s £47.5m sale to Tottenham was guaranteed. Proof there that Forest’s decision-makers are fully aware of their exposure to Financial Fair Play rules. His 31 caps for Ivory Coast tells of his quality, and a five-year contract means Forest are confident they have secured their investment.

Nicolas Dominguez signed from Bologna on a five-year contract, which saw Remo Freuler head to the Serie A club on a permanent basis.

Dominguez – who was captain at Bologna – signed on a five-year contract. The 25-year-old has played 11 times for Argentina since making his international debut in September 2019.

“It feels amazing to join a club with so much history in England and the Premier League,” Dominguez told the Forest website.

“I watched the game Forest played against Sheffield United, I saw the fans in the stadium and it attracted me. I’m over the moon and keen to embrace this challenge.”

One Winger

In Callum Hudson-Odoi, Forest have a signing which could be one of the best deals done anywhere on Deadline Day. £3m, with a possible £2m in add ons, for a player who this time last year was playing in the Champions League for Bayer Leverkusen is a snip.

Frustrated by a lack of opportunity at Chelsea, and still only 22-years-old.

Hudson-Odoi is a full England international, with a strong character, and a desperation for the chance to prove himself.

He also has a close relationship with Steve Cooper – the two won the u17s World Cup together in 2019, with England. That relationship could be key to re-igniting Hudson-Odoi’s career. And this signing could be a master stroke.

One striker

Similarly for Divock Origi, a man loved by Liverpool fans, and who scored in the Champions League final four years ago on the way to the trophy. Jurgen Klopp cannot speak highly enough of the 28-year-old. Thirty-six appearances for AC Milan last season, none so far this season. Again, Forest saw an opportunity.

He had plenty of suitors in this window, but none came to fruition. So Forest, having monitored his situation throughout, struck at the final hour when his other options were diminishing. Forest will hope he remembers his goalscoring prowess in a red shirt (he only managed two goals for Milan last season). If he does, they have first refusal to make his loan permanent.

Clearly, this was a broad attempt to strengthen Steve Cooper’s squad right across the board. And the Forest manager, by the way, is fully invested in the process.

Not that Cooper hand-selected each and every player, and handed a list of specific targets over to the recruitment team. But he certainly sanctioned each player choice, and informed those above him of the positions and types of player he felt he needed.

Cooper’s challenge now (as it was this time last year, when Forest signed 19 new players in a manic summer) is how best to integrate these new players into his squad, and his playing system.

The concern is that Forest already look a more solid and challenging opponent for most Premier League clubs this season compared to last. Two narrow defeats to Arsenal and Manchester United in what has been an incredibly tough start – but also a much-needed victory over Sheffield United.

It will be a delicate job for Cooper to decide how best to use the vast array of new talent he now has at his disposal. Without disrupting or upsetting the fine balance of the team he already has.

The magnificent seven

• Ibrahim Sangare – PSV Eindhoven, £30m
• Divock Origi – AC Milan, loan
• Nuno Tavares – Arsenal, loan
• Nicolas Dominguez – Bologna, swap (Remo Freuler going the other way)
• Callum Hudson-Odoi – Chelsea, £5m
• Odysseas Vlachodimos – Benfica, £7.7m
• Andrew Omobamidele – Norwich, £11m

How will Cooper fit them all in?

The new recruits take Forest’s summer incomings up to 15, following the arrivals of Anthony Elanga, Matt Turner, Ola Aina, Andrey Santos, Gonzalo Montiel, Murillo, Chris Wood on a permanent deal and youngster Manni Norkett from Manchester United.

The arrival of seven fresh faces came on the same day of a significant outgoing for the club. Tottenham completed the signing of Brennan Johnson in a deal worth £47.5m.

Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou made the Wales international his number one target following the departure of Harry Kane last month and secured the services of the young attacker late on transfer deadline day.

Johnson signed a deal at Tottenham until the summer of 2029 after bringing his lengthy association at Forest to an end.

Versatile forward Johnson made his Forest debut in 2019, following in the footsteps of father David, and went on to make 108 appearances for his boyhood club, scoring 29 goals.

Ex-Lincoln loanee Johnson became a key figure following Steve Cooper’s arrival at the City Ground and was prominent in the club’s promotion to the Premier League in 2022 before he scored eight times last season to guide them to top flight survival.

While Johnson signed a four-year deal at Forest last summer, he has been prized away for a fee worth £47.5m with a 10 per cent sell-on clause included in the transfer.

Forest did turn down two bids from Brentford for Johnson – who can play anywhere across the front three – earlier in the window, but this sale will help satisfy their Financial Fair Play requirements.

Summer 2023 transfer window

Ins

Ibrahim Sangare – PSV Eindhoven, £30m

Divock Origi – AC Milan, loan

Gonzalo Montiel – Sevilla, loan

Anthony Elanga – Man Utd, undisclosed

Chris Wood – Newcastle, undisclosed

Manni Norkett – Manchester United, free

Ola Aina – Torino, free

Matt Turner – Arsenal, £10m

Andrey Santos – Chelsea, loan

Murrilo – Corinthians, £13.7m

Nuno Tavares – Arsenal, loan

Nicolas Dominguez – Bologna, swap (Remo Freuler going the other way)

Callum Hudson-Odoi – Chelsea, £5m

Odysseas Vlachodimos – Benfica, £7.7m

Andrew Omobamidele – Norwich, £11m

Outs

Brennan Johnson – Tottenham, £47.5m

Lewis O’Brien – Middlesbrough, loan

Riley Harbottle – Hibernian, undisclosed

Sam Surridge – Nashville SC, undisclosed

Will Swan – Mansfield, undisclosed

Andre Ayew – Released

Cafu – Rotherham, free

Adnan Kanuric – Released

Jack Colback – QPR, free

Jesse Lingard – Released

Jordan Smith – Released

Lyle Taylor – Released

Dale Taylor – Wycombe, loan

Fin Back – Carlisle, loan

Aaron Donnelly – Dundee, loan

Steve Cook – QPR, undisclosed

Braian Ojeda – Real Salt Lake, undisclosed

Josh Bowler – Cardiff City, loan

Oli Hammond – Cheltenham Town, loan

Billy Fewster – Released

Alex Gibson-Hammond – Released

Ryan Hammon – Released

Nicky Hogarth – Released

Lewis Salmon – Released

Gustavo Scarpa – Olympiacos, loan

Tyrese Fornah – Derby, undisclosed

Jonathan Panzo – Cardiff, loan

Loic Mbe Soh – Almere City, loan

Remo Freuler – Bologna, swap (Nicolas Dominguez going the other way)