Nottingham Forest are on the hunt for fresh faces and have registered their interest with one ace over a potential move to the City Ground ahead of the new Premier League season.
Nottingham Forest preparing for Nuno’s first full season
Hit with a points deduction for breaching the Premier League’s financial fair play regulations last season, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side only mathematically dodged relegation from the top flight on the final day of the season.
They will be looking for a far more comfortable campaign this time around, and have already made several new signings in a bid to ensure that they avoid the drop once more next May.
The Garibaldi have broken their transfer record to sign young talent Elliot Anderson from Newcastle United, paying £35m to take the Englishman from Tyneside to the City Ground. They have also added Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic to their backline in a £12m deal, with the Serbian having previously attracted attention from Premier League rivals Manchester United and West Ham.
|
Nottingham Forest’s new signings |
|
|
Player |
Fee |
|
Elliot Anderson |
£35m |
|
Nikola Milenkovic |
£12m |
|
Marko Stamenic |
£4.6m |
|
Carlos Miguel |
£3.3m |
|
Eric da Silva Moreira |
£1m |
But attacking additions remain needed, with 32-year-old Chris Wood possibly unable to replicate his extraordinary season and Taiwo Awoniyi seeing injuries hamper his significant potential at the City Ground. The club’s 49 goals across 2023/24 was the fourth fewest in the division, and played a large part in their relegation fight. Now though, they may have found a solution.
Nottingham Forest chasing free striker
That comes in the shape of free agent Kelechi Iheanacho, who is free to choose his next club after his £80,000 per week with newly promoted side Leicester City came to an end at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
Once considered one of the brightest talents around Europe, Iheanacho spent several seasons as Manchester City’s backup to Sergio Aguero and was even tipped to replace the Argentine in the long run.
Related
European club want £30m Nottingham Forest star as talks scheduled
Another of Forest’s players could be on the move this summer.
City boss Pep Guardiola didn’t hold back in his praise of the Nigerian striker either, dubbing his former protegee “incredible” ahead of a reunion during his time at Leicester City.
“Incredible,” Guardiola explained when quizzed on his former striker’s recent performances. “The quality was there, he was a young player here and I believe in that moment with Gabriel and Sergio we didn’t have much space. He is a fantastic person, we had a good relationship, and I’m delighted it’s going well lately.”
Now, Football Insider report that Forest are one of two Premier League sides pushing to sign Iheanacho, with newly promoted Ipswich Town also in the hunt for the 27-year-old, who also has an offer on the table in Turkey.
They claim that the pair are “hopeful of convincing him to stay in England” and that both “are now set to make formal contract proposals to the striker” in a bid to convince him to choose them after registering their interest, and by extension, making contact.
Often overlooked by Enzo Maresca last season, Iheanacho managed just five goals in 23 appearances for the Foxes, but would bring plenty of Premier League pedigree, having found the net on 42 occasions in the top flight. As a squad player, he could be an excellent pickup for the Reds.
