Dawson: My former club could blow rivals out of water with Euro cash

CHAMPIONS League qualification would allow Nottingham Forest to blow their rivals “out of the water” when it comes to transfer dealings this summer, according to Michael Dawson.

- By SARAH CLAPSON

The Reds are already guaranteed some form of European football next term, it just remains to be determined which competition they will be in. But if they can secure their place among the elite, ex-defender Dawson believes his former club would be big players in the transfer market.

It all comes down to Sunday's final-day clash with Chelsea at the City Ground (4pm), with seventh-placed Forest in need of a result along with some help from elsewhere. Whatever happens at the weekend, Nuno Espirito Santo's squad will require strengthening - but Dawson is well aware the difference a top-five finish could make to the Reds and owner Evangelos Marinakis.

In an interview with Gambling. com, the 41-year-old said: "I think they'll be shopping in a different bracket if they are in the Champions League (next season), because they could go and blow teams out of the water.