Nottingham Forest have announced the signing of Cafu on a permanent basis after his successful loan spell with the Reds.

The 27-year-old joined from Greek giants Olympiacos on an initial loan deal in October, and he struggled to get into the XI at first.

However, he has been a key player for the Reds in the past few weeks, becoming a regular under Chris Hughton.

Even though he is yet to score for the club, Cafu has registered two assists, and shone with his general displays.

Therefore, Forest were always going to look to make the switch a permanent one, and the club confirmed that they had done that this evening.

Bringing him on a long-term basis was part of the agreement when he joined, but the club didn't disclose how long a deal the powerful midfielder had signed at the City Ground.

As expected, Cafu has been selected in the starting XI for tonight's crucial game against Coventry City, as Forest look to extend the gap between themselves and the bottom three.

The verdict

This is a no-brainer for Forest, as Cafu has quickly become an important player under Hughton, and he would be one of the first names in the teamsheet.

He can clearly handle the physicality of the league, and he brings a lot to the team with his quality on the ball.

So, this is good news for Forest and it also means that Hughton has more freedom when it comes to naming five loan players in a matchday squad.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.