Nuno quizzed on Matheus Cunha and Yoane Wissa as Nottingham Forest transfer truth emerges
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo insists Nottingham Forest will only consider signing players who can improve their dressing room.
Other than re-signing goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, who is not guaranteed a place in the 25-man squad, the Reds are yet to make a January signing. Adding a striker is a priority but Nuno is keen for any potential business to be carefully weighed up.
Forest have had a bid rejected for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa. They have also been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha, although it is understood that is a deal unlikely to happen as things stand.
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“I don’t know anything about that. How can I comment about that? I’m so sorry to disappoint you,” Nuno said when quizzed on Cunha ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth (3pm kick-off).
Asked if any additions are likely before the window closes on February 3, he added: “We don’t know. We are working, I think. The club is working, and more than anything is working on the aspect - what we consider the basic - to keep our players here. This is the squad we have and these are the players who are going to solve all the problems.
“It is not easy to operate in this market, especially because we only consider options that can improve us. It is not easy.
“Not only for us, for all the teams it is a very tricky market in terms of recruitment. That is why I say, we look the other way around and let’s keep our players here.”
Nuno gave little away on the subject of Wissa, too. He said: “The answer is the same. Only players - and it is not easy - who can improve us as a squad, because our players are working very well.”
Far from viewing links with the likes of Cunha and Wissa as a statement of the club’s intent, Nuno believes Forest’s sense of ambition is measured in other ways. He doesn’t see the Reds as having to sell a vision to their targets, largely because the proof of what is possible is already there.
“It is the other way around. Why do we have to sell ourselves? If a player wants to join us, if there is something happening, he has to want to join us. We are a good club,” said the Portuguese.
“It is a good club for the players, in terms of the environment. We have all the facilities for the players to improve. We are improving and growing, and trying to get better.
“The ambition is not measured by (players Forest are linked with). The ambition is the way we operate and the way we want to improve as a team, because if we improve as a team the club will be better for the challenge we have ahead of us. The ambition is measured by how we are doing and what we want to achieve.”