Daijiworld Media Network - Nottinghamshire

Nottinghamshire, Jan 28: Nottingham Forest have been dealt a major blow in the Premier League 2026 as goalkeeper John Victor has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a serious knee injury. Victor, sidelined for the past three weeks after sustaining the injury against Aston Villa earlier this year, will now miss all remaining fixtures, the club confirmed.

The injury occurred at Villa Park when Victor landed awkwardly while conceding Aston Villa’s third goal to midfielder John McGinn, forcing him off the pitch in the second half. Manager Sean Dyche had initially described the setback as short-term following a minor operation, but further assessment revealed that the damage would keep him out for the entire campaign.

Victor, who joined Forest from Botafogo in the summer, had made nine appearances for the club and taken over Premier League duties from Matz Sels for five matches before the injury. His absence adds to Forest’s ongoing struggles, as striker Chris Wood has also been sidelined since October following knee surgery.

With Victor unavailable, Forest are left with only Angus Gunn as senior backup to Sels, who had shared goalkeeping responsibilities with Victor throughout the season. To strengthen their squad, the club has reportedly entered talks with Wolverhampton Wanderers regarding a potential January move for Portuguese international Jose Sa.

Currently, Forest sit 17th in the Premier League with 25 points from 23 matches, holding a slim five-point cushion above the relegation zone. The club faces a crucial fixture against Crystal Palace on February 1, which could be pivotal in their fight to avoid relegation amid a challenging season.