Aitor Karanka has stressed that Nottingham Forest "deserve to be in the Premier League" and is hoping that top-flight football can be achieved by 2020.

The 44-year-old Spaniard, who replaced Mark Warburton as boss on Monday, has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract at the City Ground.

Karanka's task will be to revive the fortunes of a club whose form has tumbled in recent months and currently sit 14th in the Championship table, 11 points outside the playoff places.

"Hopefully I can say after two-and-a-half years we are in the Premier League," Karanka told BBC Sport. "If we can get it this season or next season - perfect, but we have to keep calm and go together because going together is the only way you can achieve something.

"Since the owners arrived they are trying to do the best to put the club where it deserves to be. Their ambition is my ambition. They showed me their desire and ambition to do something nice in this big club. A club like this deserves to be in the Premier League.

"Football is a business but I decided to come here because I felt the owners and chairman and club want to build something. It is a really nice project and I like to stay here. I am calm because they trust me and I trust them. This is not a short race - it is a marathon but the club has the same aim. We have time but we will see."

Karanka had been out of work since being sacked by Middlesbrough in March 2017.