Current Nottingham Forest news as Nuno Espirito Santo’s team looks to make trades in the January transfer window
As they get ready to play again following their Christmas break, Nottingham Forest has a busy few weeks ahead of them.
On the field, the Reds will travel to Blackpool on Wednesday to play their FA Cup third-round replay. When they play Brentford and Arsenal in the Premier League to end January, they will look to further separate themselves from the relegation zone.
However, from now until the end of the month, there will also be a lot of attention paid to what occurs off the field. Forest believes they have conformed with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability criteria and will know shortly if they will face any charges. They will also have until 11 p.m. on February 1 to finalize any transfer-related matters.
So far, the window at City Ground has been quiet. We look at the best and worst case possibilities for how January might go with less than three weeks till deadline day.
The ideal situation
Nuno Espirito Santo is in his first transfer window as Trentside’s head coach. Before deciding on a player’s future, he has been eager to thoroughly evaluate his charges.
But he made it obvious that the team was overly large from the first day he took over. He’d prefer to collaborate in smaller groups.
The Portuguese would prefer to reduce their numbers without sacrificing alternatives in specific positions. He still requires depth of strength and adequate quality at his disposal.
Moving on from some players would undoubtedly be in everyone’s best interests. For instance, Forest would seize any chance to sign Harry Arter before he leaves for free in the summer. Also, it would be a nice window if loan transfers for some of the team’s younger players could be managed.
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When it comes to incomings, the Reds do not need to do too much work. Just a few key additions are required.
Deciding whether a new goalkeeper is needed is probably the biggest decision to make. Nuno would also benefit from attacking reinforcements, while Forest want a right-sided equivalent of Murillo – a defender who is comfortable on the ball and can pick a pass.
The Reds need to be smart about the business they do. If they can add quality while keeping to a fairly tight budget, that would be a positive January – especially if deals are done well in advance of deadline day.
“If someone comes, it is to help and to improve the quality. And it is not easy to improve the quality; it has to be the real one,” Nuno has said.
The most dire situation
By the end of the season, clubs judged to have violated the Premier League’s criteria regarding profitability and sustainability would be subject to any penalties or point deductions. Clubs found to have violated the regulations will be given a fortnight to react, and by April 8th, an impartial committee will conclude its hearing.
Forest will very much be hoping they avoid being in such a situation. And they should find out soon enough where they stand on that front.
In terms of transfer business, being left with a bloated dressing room by failing to offload some players would be far from ideal. It can be a tough task trying to keep the group happy when some are not playing games.
Nevertheless, the Reds will want to ensure that they do not lose any important players. For instance, getting Morgan Gibbs-White signed by Tottenham Hotspur would rank highly if we’re discussing worst-case scenarios.
Worst-case circumstances would also include another wholesale squad reshuffle. Not least of all because none is necessary.
After their spate of late business in the summer, Forest will undoubtedly aim to avoid another crazy deadline day if at all possible. It was not ideal, in the opinion of former head coach Steve Cooper, to have so many players sign at such a late window. Because January is shorter than other months, it’s important for clubs to prevent panic buying at the last minute.
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