Nottingham Forest transfers as ‘signing of the season’ is already done and striker Plan B appears.
Nottingham Forest continue to win, moving them up to third position in the Premier League table, six points behind leaders Liverpool but six clear of fifth-placed Newcastle United.
Nuno Esprito Santo has the opportunity to strengthen that position with a few of weeks remaining in the transfer market and the Reds wanting to adjust rather than change their squad.
They have been connected with various players, including several forwards, but the only deal they have completed thus far is the one that saw Wayne Hennessey return to the club.
Star man
Elliot Anderson was the talk of Forest’s 3-2 victory over Southampton at the weekend as he scored his first goal in the Garibaldi since his £15m summer move from Newcastle United.
The 22-year-old struck from outside the box and turned in an all-round excellent display which had the Match of The Day 2 pundits purring. So much so that presenter Mark Chapman even claimed: “He is definitely their signing of the season and one of the signings of the season across the league…Credit to the Forest coaching staff to use him in that role which wasn’t the one he was used in at Newcastle.”
Anderson is playing deeper than he did at St James’ Park, linking up well with Nicolas Dominguez. He has played in all but one of Forest’s 22 Premier League matches, including 17 starts.
Hammer time
West Ham’s search for reinforcements up front, which has led them to Forest’s door due to Taiwo Awoniyi’s availability, has once again connected them with a familiar name.
Sky Sports are reporting West Ham remain interested in RB Leipzig forward Andre Silva and that initial enquiries have been named. They say the Portuguese is one of several forwards the Hammers are tracking and that Leipzig favour a permanent transfer than rather than a loan as 29-year-old enters the last 18 months of his contract – without having started a league game all season
Staying put
Forest’s own search for centre forward reached fever pitch in the summer window – before Chris Wood went on his best ever Premier League goal-scoring run – saw them scour the continent.
Among the names most frequently-linked, along with Eddie Nketiah, was that of Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez, who it seems was reluctant to move to the City Ground.
It seems the Mexican was unwilling to take the plunge in the time Forest wanted him to, yet he remains the subject of transfer speculation well into this window. That could be all it is though with Fabrizio Romano saying Feyenoord insist the 25-year-old is ‘not available for sale in January’. Indeed the Dutch club are thought to be determined to keep all of their greatest players.
Good day, Loic.
Aston Villa are reportedly ‘in advanced talks to sign’ Forest flop Loic Bade.
Then, Bade was on loan at Rennes for the first part of the 2022/23 season, but he left after a few months without making an appearance.
He then went on loan to Sevilla, earning a €10 million permanent transfer. Villa are reportedly closing close on a £30 million deal.
