It may be a relatively quiet winter transfer window for Nottingham Forest, but there is still one crucial area that will likely demand attention when January arrives.
During the summer, the club made an effort to bolster their attacking options, but ultimately, they were unable to secure the signing of an additional forward. As the new year approaches, it is anticipated that Forest will make another push to strengthen their front line to ensure that head coach Nuno Espirito Santo has adequate choices for attacking roles.
Many fans of Nottingham Forest are vocal about their desire for the club to prioritize signing a striker in the upcoming window. However, there is significant resistance regarding one particular name who has been linked with a potential move to the City Ground. According to reports from Spanish website Fichajes, Forest is reportedly interested in Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Along with Forest, both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be monitoring the 27-year-old’s situation.
Calvert-Lewin has made 13 appearances in the Premier League so far this season, netting two goals for Everton. Despite this, many Forest supporters are not enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing him to the club. His goal tally for this season and his injury history are major points of concern for these fans. Some of the reactions to the rumors reflect their frustration and doubt.
One fan, known as Crawford981, voiced their concerns by saying, “Let’s hope this is just paper talk because he is too injury-prone and doesn’t score enough goals, so it’s definitely a no thanks.” Another, Rodrest, expressed disappointment by adding, “I thought Forest were going forward with decent players, not has-beens that can’t stay fit and don’t score many goals. For me, it’s a big NO NO NO.”
Several others joined in with similar sentiments. Notts44 simply stated, “BIG BIG NO,” while Redken61 added, “Dear God no. Can’t finish.” Readingred went a step further, humorously commenting, “Can’t hit a barn door with a banjo.”
Despite Calvert-Lewin being a controversial figure in the eyes of many Forest fans, the club has also been linked with a range of other attacking players. Among these are Corinthians’ Yuri Alberto, Botafogo’s Igor Jesus, Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, and Burnley’s Luca Koleosho, all of whom are said to have attracted Forest’s interest.
The attacking situation at Forest has been a mixed bag so far this season. Chris Wood has enjoyed a solid start to the campaign for both club and country, showing he can be a reliable option. However, Taiwo Awoniyi has struggled with both form and fitness, and he has yet to find the back of the net this season. Given these challenges, additional firepower in attack would be invaluable to Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad for the second half of the season, as many supporters have pointed out.
One fan, mikkhntl, shared their thoughts by stating, “Definitely need a striker. Awoniyi seems a lost cause, and Wood is unlikely to stay fit for the whole season. We probably have to take a chance on an up-and-coming youngster rather than an expensive established name.” Another fan, EdwardIX, expressed a similar sentiment about potential signings, saying, “Tel is a good buy. But perhaps one for the future. I’d take Alberto from this lot. He’s good.”
Meanwhile, StewyDeano suggested a longer-term strategy, proposing that Forest wait for Ipswich Town to be relegated before targeting Liam Delap in the summer transfer window.
Looking ahead, some fans believe that the shift in expectations for Forest could influence player choices in January. As redgeezer49 pointed out, “We are a different animal to the start of the season. Players will view us very differently come January than they did in August. With the relegation scrap monkey off our shoulders, players will see a route to furthering their careers, especially as we only have one fit forward. Game time guaranteed.”
With Forest’s attacking needs clear and several names being floated, it will be interesting to see how the club approaches the winter transfer market and which players they manage to bring in to strengthen their front line. The pressure is on to make the right decision as they push to improve their offensive capabilities for the remainder of the campaign.