Ola Aina has returned to training at Nottingham Forest as the club prepares for their final Premier League match of the season against Bournemouth.
Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who has been overseeing the team’s recent push for stability after a turbulent campaign, confirmed the defender’s return while speaking about the squad’s fitness updates ahead of the weekend fixture.
Aina has been sidelined since April 30, when he picked up an injury during Forest’s narrow win over Aston Villa in the Europa League semi final. The Super Eagles full back only managed 75 minutes in that match before being forced off, and has not featured for the club since then.
His absence was felt heavily in the return leg, where Forest suffered a heavy defeat against the eventual competition winners, a result that exposed the defensive gaps left by his injury.
This season has been a difficult one for Nottingham Forest, with the club involved in a tense relegation battle and going through multiple managerial changes before finding some stability under the current setup.
The upcoming clash against Bournemouth carries different levels of importance for both sides. While Forest will be looking to end their campaign on a positive note in front of their home fans at the City Ground, Bournemouth still have European ambitions in sight and could end the season with a strong finish depending on results elsewhere.
Speaking ahead of the match, the manager confirmed that Aina has resumed training on the pitch but remained cautious about whether he would be involved on Sunday.
He also noted that several players are still being monitored closely as the team avoids unnecessary risks at this stage of the season.
According to him, the focus is on finishing strongly without pushing any returning players too soon, especially in a game that is not decisive in terms of major outcomes but still important for pride, momentum and final league positioning.
