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Nottingham Forest will return for pre-season training on Monday with a push for promotion very much on the agenda.

The Reds have their sights set on making it to the Premier League as they prepare for Aitor Karanka’s first full campaign in charge.

And midfielder Matty Cash says the club are starting to look well equipped to achieve their goal – whether that be going up this time around or using the next few months as a platform for future success. One way or another, Forest are determined to get there.

“Everyone says they want to see us up there in the table, and we do as well,” said Cash.

(Image: Joseph Raynor)

“The first thing is to get pre-season out the way and get the season going.

“We’re going to have a fantastic squad.

“We want to get promotion. Everyone at the club wants to get promotion.

“People have said before that it’s not going to happen straight away, but hopefully we’re going to have a really good season because we’ve got the right manager and the right people behind the club.

“We want to get promotion and I’m sure that’s everyone’s target.”

Boss Karanka has brought in four new arrivals so far this summer with winger Gil Dias the latest arrival, on loan from Monaco, to add to club record signing Joao Carvalho, Benfica loanee Diogo Goncalves and experienced defender Michael Dawson.

It all adds to the sense of optimism and positive mood around the City Ground, with the club looking in a good place both on and off the pitch.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

Since he bought the Reds little more than 12 months ago, Evangelos Marinakis has overseen something of a transformation, with a structure and strategy being put in place behind the scenes.

And Cash says you cannot fail to see the changes being made.

“You can see what the club are trying to do and the base they’re trying to build. Players see that and they see the platform the club are trying to build,” said the 20-year-old.

“That’s very important.

“Good things are happening at this club. And for players, it’s good.

“When I first came to the club, from then until now, in the last three years the platform has got better.

“And it’s getting even better now. I can feel it, everyone can feel it.

“That’s the most important thing – we’re building the platform and we’re on the up, which is good.

“The next thing we look at is moving forward into the Premier League.

“We’re going to do the best we can to try to get there and we’re going to do it by having a platform to build on along the way.”

Testament to that positivity is the impressive season ticket sales, with 18,500 being sold so far, including recruiting 3,500 new season card holders.

“To have sold 18,500 season tickets already is fantastic,” said Cash. “The support here has always been brilliant.

“We feel the support and we know how important it is to the supporters for us to do well.

“To have that support is just brilliant, it’s fantastic.”