Wissa joins, duo depart, key man signs - Nottingham Forest's perfect end to transfer window
It has been a pretty quiet January transfer window up until now for Nottingham Forest but that could all change as the deadline nears.
The Reds have until 11pm on Monday to get their business done. And with a push for European football on the cards, the club are well aware how important it is to oversee the right deals.
Quality over quantity will be the key in terms of incomings, while outgoings are also possible. Below, we take a look at what would represent a perfect end to the window for Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
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Brentford bend
Nuno needs a striker. That much has been clear for some time. Chris Wood has been in fine form this term but he needs some help on the goalscoring front, particularly as Taiwo Awoniyi is yet to get back to his best and has a question mark against his future.
After the summer window closed, the Reds boss insisted there was no sense of disappointment at missing out on a front man. But with so much at stake in the second half of the campaign, more firepower is dearly needed.
As was the case in the summer, Forest have been credited with an interest in a number of forwards. They have tried their luck for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa but to no avail so far.
Bees manager Thomas Frank has insisted the forward is not for sale but it would come as no surprise if the Reds ask the question again. That being said, Wissa is 28 and will be out of contract in 2026 (albeit with the option of a further year included in his deal), so Forest will have a limit on how much they might be willing to splash out to secure his services.
Star players stay
Nuno has been very clear that Forest retaining their prized assets is just as important as any new faces coming in. He stressed that point back in the summer and has done so again during this window.
“The club is working, and more than anything is working on the aspect - what we consider the basic - to keep our players here,” the Portuguese recently said. “This is the squad we have and these are the players who are going to solve all the problems.”
The Reds have a good thing going in the Premier League and they want to maintain that. The likes of Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi are bound to have admirers but there is no underestimating just how important they (and others) are to Forest.
Getting Murillo tied down to a new deal was a real statement of intent from the club. Top scorer Wood has also put pen to paper on a new contract, and if Ola Aina can soon follow suit that would be another huge boost.
Forest’s resolve was tested in the summer when Newcastle United came calling for Elanga right at the end of the window. The Reds stood firm then, and they will be keen to do so if a repeat scenario unfolds in the coming hours.
Panic avoided
After being on the end of a 5-0 thumping away to Bournemouth, there might have been a temptation for Forest to rip up their transfer plans. After all, they have a significant carrot dangling in front of them in the form of a place in Europe next term.
But kneejerk reactions can have a detrimental effect. The Reds went into this window knowing the squad did not require too much work, and little has changed on that front.
Busy deadline days have not been uncommon on the banks of the Trent. It would be understandable if the club have slightly tweaked their thinking on what may be required to ensure Nuno has sufficient resources to continue challenging at the top end of the table.
However, avoiding any last-minute panic buying or spending for the sake of it would be an ideal way to end the window. Forest did some excellent deals in the summer, with careful and considered business setting a perfect template to be followed.
Clearout completed
Only a few fringe players remain on the books Trentside after a lot of work was done previously on trimming the squad. The Reds still have a couple to shift off the wage books, though.
Emmanuel Dennis was not included in the 25-man Premier League squad list for the first half of the season and is free to move on. Watford, Sheffield Wednesday and Rangers have been linked while the attacker is also said to have interest from abroad.
Midfielder Lewis O’Brien is the other player likely to depart before the window closes. Preston North End are the latest club said to have their eye on him, with Burnley, Blackburn Rovers and Hull City previously linked. In the case of both players, wages could be the biggest stumbling block to getting any deal sorted.
