Since their re-entry into the Premier League, Nottingham Forest has impressed, displaying outstanding tenacity in the face of adversity and the kind of tenacious defense required to stay in the top division.
Fulham, meanwhile, exceeded expectations during the 2022–23 season and easily avoided the relegation battle, putting them in the running for European football.
Star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who they eventually sold to the Saudi Pro League for a healthy profit, gave them hope. He was never replaced, and now the Cottagers are struggling without a reliable goal scorer.
In contrast, Forest is beginning to show signs of strength in 2023–24, with Taiwo Awoniyi’s return on investment from the Bundesliga at striker.
With three goals and two assists so far in the 2023–24 season, the former Union Berlin standout is off to a strong start.
Although that league is well known for its exciting attacking football, Forest appears to be on the lookout for more offensive firepower in the form of a forward who may be even more productive. They are right there with the Cottagers, who are pleading for goals.
Nottingham Forest and Fulham are reportedly interested in VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy, who is off to a disastrous start in the 2023–24 Bundesliga season, according to a report from BILD’s Christian Falk and Julian Agardi.
Better yet, he has a release clause of just 20 million euros, which is something both clubs could easily afford.
How absurd? Well, Guirassy just scored another hat trick this weekend, making it two on the season and his fifth brace in seven matches.
With 13 goals overall, Guirassy averages nearly two goals per game. He is a late breakout star at striker, something we have never seen before, at the age of 27.
Guirassy has the most goals scored of anyone in the top five leagues in Europe, but the amazing thing about him is that it’s not just about the goals.
In addition, Guirassy averages 2.6 fouls and two critical passes per game. Only once, a 2-0 victory over Köln, did he fail to score.
And in that particular game, Guirassy generated four opportunities for his teammates by drawing four fouls. In other words, he was outstanding even without scoring.
It’s unknown if Guirassy can keep up this hot streak, but he’s been so hot that he already has a season’s worth of goals in seven matches. Last season, nobody in the Bundesliga scored 20 goals.
This season, Guirassy, at this pace, may only be three games away from matching 2022/23 leading scorers Niclas Füllkrug and Christopher Nkunku. Both players, by the way, earned major transfers in the summer.
Forest are holding steady in 13th, safe from the relegation battle in the Premier League. Could you imagine if they secured a transfer for Guirassy in the winter and he kept up this pace?
Forest would end up with one of the best strikers in the world – not just the biggest breakout star of the first months of the season.
How about Fulham? If they could sign a striker with Guirassy, provided this run is not a mirage, then couldn’t that be enough to elevate them to a shock run in Europe?
Their status in 12th is a slip from where they were through much of the last season, but it’s not far off from the top half.
There’s a lot of “ifs” there, and Guirassy and his agents are surely smart enough to know to wait until the full season plays out to secure a deal.
They can stand to make a lot of money because of what is left over after the release clause that clubs can pay directly to them. You know, like what Erling Haaland did with Manchester City.
However, it was shrewd of Forest and Fulham to enter the competition first. You can’t be sure. Awoniyi and Guirassy might make the next outstanding Premier League striker pairing in 2024–2025. Fans of the forest may dream, right?
Fulham has a respectable supporting cast. A player like Guirassy might improve those around him as well, given the opportunities he has given Stuttgart thus far. Fans of Fulham have every right to dream as well.
