A year has transformed Matz Sels from a quiet January transfer window signing to statistically the Premier League's best goalkeeper this season, leading Nottingham Forest's remarkable ascent up the table.
When Sels joined Forest in January 2023 for £5m, the move barely registered amid a subdued transfer window dominated by Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns. The Belgian goalkeeper was simply viewed as another addition to a club seemingly caught in perpetual turmoil, becoming their third No. 1 of the season after leaving Strasbourg in Ligue 1.
The situation looked bleak at first. His debut in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth left Forest third from bottom, three points from safety. The club was subsequently hit with a four-point deduction over PSR violations a month after his arrival.
Fast forward to today, and Forest's transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary. The team now sits in third place, just six points behind leaders Liverpool. Sels has been instrumental in this turnaround, leading the Golden Glove race with nine clean sheets and anchoring the league's third-best defense.
"I knew when I signed they were searching for a goalkeeper and I knew it was to keep the team in the league," Sels told BBC Sport. "When you take a goalkeeper in January, most of the time it's when the team is in difficulties. To play in the Premier League, that's why I wanted to come back - to live the dream a little bit - and I'm really happy with this season."
This success marks a stark contrast to Sels' previous English experience at Newcastle United in 2016. Then aged 22, he made just 14 appearances before being loaned to Anderlecht. "When I came to Newcastle it was not so easy. It was my first time abroad and I was 22 years old - I don't want to say I was a child but I was still really young," he reflected. "Sometimes a bad experience makes you stronger."
Off the pitch, Sels has found stability with his family in England. His children have adapted well, with his eldest now speaking better English than him. The goalkeeper's impressive statistics speak volumes - his 74.4% save percentage leads all Premier League goalkeepers who have played more than seven games this season.
Working behind quality defenders Murillo and Nikola Milenkovic, Forest has conceded just 22 goals in 22 games - a record only bettered by Liverpool and Arsenal. Sels particularly shone in a recent 1-1 draw against Liverpool, making spectacular saves to deny Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah.
While manager Nuno Espirito Santo remains cautious about title talk, Sels acknowledges the team's elevated ambitions: "We cannot say anymore it's about staying in the league. We try to do everything to aim as high as possible but if you want to be there at the top you need to keep teams like Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle behind you."
The Belgian keeper remains measured about Champions League prospects, stating, "It's still too early. We cannot win all the games, we are going to concede goals, but it's how we cope with that. To speak about the title is out of the context. We are trying to achieve something great but we will see at the end of the season."
