Who could be heading towards the exit at Nottingham Forest? And what are the areas in need of strengthening? Analysis, insight and opinion on what Nottingham Forest need to do in the transfer market this summer...
Monday 30 May 2022 18:52, UK
Which positions are Nottingham Forest targeting in the summer transfer window? What has Steve Cooper said? And what do the stats say?
Forest were prolific in front of goal in the Championship despite having a comparatively more reserved style of play with below-average possession in the final third. Cooper's side scored 77 goals during the campaign - only Fulham netted more - and relied heavily on fast breaks and players carrying the ball upfield, primarily Brennan Johnson.
This deeper style resulted in Forest conceding just 43 goals - only Bournemouth shipped fewer - and ranking among the elite for possession won in the defensive third and tackles, which are traditionally metrics few high-flying teams excel at. Notably, Forest typically had an inferior average share of the ball across the campaign.
Therefore, an injection of midfield mettle and the capacity to apply a high press and retain the ball in central areas could boost their chances of survival. However, the reserved and countering style can pay dividends: the radar below compares the styles of Wolves and Forest and shows how the style can, indeed, reap rewards in the top-flight.
Like most promoted clubs, Nottingham Forest will need to invest heavily to keep up with the competition in the Premier League, and owner Evangelos Marinakis has already said the club will get the investment it needs to recruit top players after the historic victory over Huddersfield in the play-off final.
"It's a magical night, not only for me but for the thousands and even millions of supporters within the United Kingdom and all over the world," Marinakis told Sky Sports on Sunday.
"As I said nearly five years ago, we have to bring Nottingham Forest back where it belongs. Now we want more. Now we're back in the Premier League, so we want to be as high as possible. We need to give all the ammunition to the team with good players."
A key area that the Reds should look will be the pivotal role their loanees have played during this season.
The newly-promoted side are optimistic that right-back Djed Spence will sign permanently. The right-back has been instrumental in Forest's promotion campaign to the Premier League while on a season-long loan from Middlesbrough, contributing three goals and five assists in all competitions. Spence has already garnered interest from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
The 21-year-old's parent club have preferred Isaiah Jones - more of a wing-back - and are happy with the way Jones fits into current boss Chris Wilder's system. This means Spence will almost certainly leave the Riverside permanently this summer, with two years left on his contract.
"He's our player, and it's always been a complex situation," said Wilder in January. "I understand more than anybody that he's playing well, and we're delighted that he's playing well because he's our player and our asset as well."
According to earlier reports from the Daily Star, Middlesbrough will demand a record fee of £20m for Spence.
Aside from Spence, Forest also have Aston Villa's Keinan Davis, Manchester United's James Gardner, Watford's Phillip Zinckernagel and Sheffield United's Max Lowe currently on temporary deals.
Davis - who would struggle to compete for playing time with Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins at Villa, has reaped the rewards of regular playing time.
Having scored five goals in 15 appearances, it is likely the 24-year-old could also sign permanently - with Lewis Grabban's contract coming to an end and Lyle Taylor currently at Birmingham City on loan.
When asked on whether he would stay on Steve Cooper's side, he said: "Yeah, of course. This is the best I've played and the most I've enjoyed my football in my whole entire life, so it's just great to be here.
"Obviously the manager is a big part of it, but the dressing room has also got the right balance of older and young players - like Cookie (Steve Cook), and then young players like me, Djed (Spence) and Brennan (Johnson).
"It's just a great mixture. And then the manager lets us express ourselves and be ourselves. We have a bit of banter about that, about loving it here.''
Lowe shares a similar story to Davis as the wing-back competes with Enda Stevens and Rhys Norrington-Davies for a starting spot at Bramall Lane.
Despite injuries limiting the 25-year-old to only 23 appearances in all competitions this season, Lowe was an important player in Forest's journey to the Premier league early on - notching a goal and four assists. A move to the Garibaldi could be key for top-flight success.
