Lamin Sillah, one of The Gambia’s brightest young football talents, has completed a move to English side Nottingham Forest, signing a contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2028.
The 19-year-old forward, who has represented The Gambia at U20 level, joins Forest from Greek side Olympiacos. He’ll link up with Warren Joyce’s B Team ahead of the 2025/26 season, as he looks to take the next big step in his professional career.
Sillah had previously trained with Forest last summer, as well as a number of other English clubs, during a scouting tour that caught the attention of top Premier League sides. Renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano noted at the time that both Forest and Leicester City were closely monitoring the young striker, calling him “definitely one to watch.”
Now, a year on, Forest have made the move official, with club officials describing Sillah as a player of “high potential” and part of a growing focus on international talent.
Craig Mulholland, Forest’s Head of Football Development & Talent Management, spoke highly of the new addition:
“Lamin is someone who has high potential, and we’re delighted to have added a goal scoring attacker to Warren’s young, exciting squad.
“He arrives here hungry to improve. We wish Lamin well for the year ahead and we are all looking forward to seeing how he settles into the Club.”
This is a significant moment for Gambian football, with Sillah becoming the latest in a growing list of young Scorpions making their mark on the European stage. He is managed by former Gambia international Cherno Samba, a figure well-known to Gambians for his own journey through the English football system.
While Sillah will primarily be part of Forest’s B Team, there’s growing interest in whether first-team coach Nuno Espirito Santo might include him in one of the upcoming pre-season friendlies. Forest’s summer schedule continues this weekend with a match against AS Monaco, followed by games against Estoril, Birmingham City, Fiorentina, and Saudi Arabian side Al Qadasiya.
