Nottingham Forest‘s summer strategy is becoming clear: go younger, go Brazilian, and go big on potential.
The club confirmed on Thursday the signing of 20-year-old Jair Cunha from Botafogo. The towering 6-foot-6 center-back arrives on a five-year deal through 2030, becoming the second Forest signing from Botafogo in a week, following striker Igor Jesus. The fee is believed to be around $13 million.
Cunha’s rise has been fast and steep. Just over a year ago, he was returning from a torn ACL that sidelined him for much of 2023. At the time, he was still a promising prospect at Santos, the Brazilian club where he came through the academy ranks. But by January 2025, Botafogo had seen enough to make a move, paying Santos a reported $12 million to bring him to Rio.
He adapted immediately. In less than six months, Cunha became a starter for Botafogo and logged major minutes in the Brazilian top flight, the Recopa Sudamericana, and most notably, the expanded FIFA Club World Cup. It was there, on the international stage, that he truly announced himself.
Against the Seattle Sounders, Cunha scored his first senior goal, rising above the box to head home a cross in a 2–1 win. Days later, he started again as Botafogo shocked Paris Saint-Germain with a 1–0 victory. He finished the tournament with four starts, one goal, and a growing reputation as one of Brazil‘s most composed young defenders.
Forest’s next Brazilian pillar
Forest have been scouting the Brazilian market heavily, aided by club ties and strong performances from recent arrivals like Murillo and Danilo. But Cunha’s signing goes beyond trend.
With Milenkovic, Boly, and Murillo already in the squad, Forest are not short on center-backs. What they lacked, however, was a young aerial force who could dominate set pieces and offer long-term upside. Cunha fits that profile. He won more than 80 percent of his aerial duels in the Brazilian league and brings an added layer of composure and physicality.
He is also comfortable with either foot, a rarity for a defender of his size, and showed calm distribution against some of the world’s best forwards. His development arc suggests he’s just getting started.
Forest fans may have to wait to see him regularly in the Premier League. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo is expected to ease him in slowly, with cup games and European fixtures likely offering early opportunities. But the long-term plan is clear. Cunha is not just a depth piece. He is viewed internally as a future starter.
The deal also reflects the strength of Forest’s South American scouting and the relationship between club ownership groups. Botafogo’s owner John Textor, a key figure in the multi-club model, has existing ties to Forest’s Evangelos Marinakis. That helped facilitate a deal that many in Brazil believe undersells Cunha’s potential. On social media, Botafogo fans called the fee too low, even as they praised the player himself.
Back in Brazil, Cunha is remembered as a “Menino da Vila,” one of Santos’ brightest youth products. He captained the Brazil U20s and helped them win the South American championship earlier this year. He’s still raw in some areas, particularly in handling fast turns and elite transitions. But as one Brazilian scout put it, “He has the feet, the frame, and the focus.”
That is exactly what Forest are betting on.
If his trajectory holds, the City Ground faithful may be watching a new anchor rise in real time.
