Ryan James Yates

Ryan James Yates is an English central midfielder born in Nottingham who developed at Nottingham Forest. After signing his first professional contract in 2016, Yates began senior football on loan with Barrow in the National League. He then continued his development with Shrewsbury Town and Notts County during 2017–18 before joining Scunthorpe United on loan in 2018. Those spells took him through the lower divisions and established him as a physical, energetic box-to-box midfielder. Yates broke into Forest’s first team under Martin O’Neill, making his senior debut against Bury in August 2018. Under Steve Cooper, he became an important part of Forest’s 2021–22 promotion campaign, recording 43 appearances and eight goals and earning selection for the Championship Team of the Season. In the Premier League, Yates has operated centrally as a pressing, defensively minded midfielder who also contributes in the air and supports attacks.