![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/XfEdSIzr1s5NllT6EdvRbAzM9BY=\/750x500\/smart\/filters:format(webp)\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F04%2Fimago1076195201.jpg\")
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Nottingham Forest star Ola Aina. Copyright: xMIxNewsxImago<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina has\u00a0earned praises for his influence by former Chelsea winger Omari Hutchinson,\u00a0Soccernet.ng<\/u><\/a>\u00a0reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n Hutchinson joined Nottingham Forest from Ipswich Town after an impressive 2024-25 campaign. Although\u00a0he enjoyed a stunning individual campaign, Ipswich’s relegation from the Premier League forced the club to cash in on the winger in a deal worth \u00a337.5 million.<\/p>\n Despite arriving\u00a0at the City Ground\u00a0with high expectations, Hutchinson found life difficult during the early stages of his Forest career. He endured a slow start, struggling to break into the starting lineup and\u00a0was left\u00a0to settle for substitute appearances for\u00a0the earlier parts\u00a0of the campaign.<\/p>\n His slow adaptation was not helped by the instability at the club, with Forest going through several managerial changes. Nuno Espirito Santo was dismissed before spells under Ange Postecoglou and Sean Dyche, while Vitor Pereira was eventually appointed to steady the ship.<\/p>\n As the season progressed, Hutchinson\u00a0gradually established himself as an important member of the squad\u00a0and\u00a0played a much bigger role as Forest finished 16th in the Premier League and reached the Europa League semi-finals, where they were eliminated 4-1 on aggregate by fellow English side Aston Villa.<\/p>\n Since joining Nottingham Forest from Italian club Torino in 2023, Ola Aina has developed into one of the club’s most influential players both on and off the pitch.<\/p>\n The Super Eagles defender has made 85 appearances in all competitions for the Tricky Trees and remains a key figure in the dressing room.\u00a0He also s<\/u>igned a contract extension in 2025,<\/u><\/a>\u00a0potentially keeping him at Forest until 2028.<\/p>\n Speaking in an interview, Hutchinson admitted that settling into life at Forest was not easy but revealed that Aina was one of the players who helped him through the difficult period, hailing\u00a0the Nigerian international for\u00a0bringing a\u00a0positive atmosphere\u00a0to\u00a0the squad.<\/p>\n \u201cOla Aina is the closest to a mentor\u2026 but there are a few boys who will tell you if you are not doing well. They will put an arm around you\u201d, the former Chelsea forward said via\u00a0The Athletic.<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cIt’s a very together squad. It’s a big family. You can feel that in the camp. The team set the bar when they finished seventh just over a year ago. That is exactly the kind of thing we are trying to achieve again.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cThere should be no boundaries\u2026 we have to be ambitious. We can get top 10, we can get top four\u2026 we just have to believe we can do better, because we can\u201d, he concluded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n Hutchinson and Ola Aina will now be hoping to play an even bigger role under Nottingham Forest’s new head coach,\u00a0Oliver Glasner, who replaced Pereira earlier this summer<\/u><\/a>. <\/p>\n The former Crystal Palace boss will be looking to build on the club’s recent progress, while both players will be eager to impress under the Austrian manager.<\/p>\n Nottingham Forest will begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Leeds United at the City Ground on August 22.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/rhL721F8qY19i-4F7simC1k4jKY=\/4200x2800\/smart\/filters:format(webp)\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F08%2FC5586594-FCCE-422E-91D6-6D26583B3105.jpeg\")
Soccer Omari Hutchinson explains Ola Aina’s influence at Nottingham Forest<\/h2>\n
![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/uukTmv3ETMOyG2YfihTi_rK_SLs=\/4200x2800\/smart\/filters:format(webp)\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F03%2Fimago1074205834.jpg\")
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![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/RWKooR002d9m6osphgRub_3fdmM=\/2085x1390\/smart\/filters:format(webp)\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F08%2FEA484941-FAF9-447E-9183-EF2CF75F1C25.jpeg\")
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