Nottingham Forest Signs Its 18th Player of the Summer

Forest has spent over $150 million in building out its squad after securing a long-awaited promotion back to the Premier League.

NOTTINGHAM, England (AP) — Heavy-spending Nottingham Forest still isn't done in this transfer window.

The promoted club announced the signing of Brazil left back Renan Lodi from Atlético Madrid on a season-long loan on Monday, taking the number of players signed since sealing a return to the Premier League to a staggering 18.

The 24-year-old Lodi has played 15 times for Brazil and is on course to make its squad for the World Cup. He made 118 appearances in three seasons with Atlético.

Forest, back in England's top division for the first time since 1999, has had to bulk out its squad since earning promotion because it had lots of players on loan last season while many others in the squad were viewed as simply not good enough to play in the Premier League.

Having signed 16 players at a cost of $150 million, putting the team at No. 3 on the list of the heaviest spending clubs in Europe behind Chelsea and Barcelona, Forest has since bought South Korea striker Hwang Ui-jo from French club Bordeaux on Friday — and immediately loaned him to Greek champions Olympiakos — and now Lodi.

Forest has started the Premier League with a win, a draw and two losses from its first four games.

Also Monday, Chelsea let midfielder Ross Barkley leave the club by mutual consent.

Barkley joined from Everton in January 2018 as one of English soccer's most highly rated players but never established himself as a regular, making 100 appearances in 4 1/2 years, scoring 12 goals.