Aitor Karanka claims 27,000 messages from agents offering Nottingham Forest deals, will target Spanish market again

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Nottingham Forest landed Aitor Karanka as their new manager earlier this month.

Nottingham Forest’s new manager Aitor Karanka has told Marca that he does intend to look to Spain for new signings this month.

After sacking Mark Warburton back on New Year’s Eve, Forest were once again looking for a new manager, and they swooped to land Karanka earlier this month.

The former Spanish international defender cut his teeth in coaching working alongside Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, before leaving for Middlesbrough in 2013, spending three-and-a-half years at the Riverside Stadium.

Karanka took Boro to the Premier League in 2016 but didn’t see out last season, losing his job back in March as he left Teesside with a 47% win rate to his name.

Now, Karanka is back in management and looking to rebuild his reputation with Forest, and fans may be keen to see him bring a Spanish influence to the City Ground.

During his time at Middlesbrough, Karanka signed eight Spanish players, landing Tomas Mejias, Daniel Ayala, Kike, Damia Abella, Kike Sola, Victor Valdes, Antonio Barragan and Alvaro Negredo as Karanka used his contacts in his homeland to strengthen his squad.

Alvaro Negredo of Middlesborough

Add in that the likes of Emilio Nsue, Cristhian Stuani and Bernardo Espinosa all joined Boro from Spanish clubs, and it was clear that Karanka worked in a market he knew well, sparking questions about whether he will do the same with Forest.

Now, Karanka has told Marca that he will again look to Spain for new signings, and whilst he can’t mention specific players, he has received ‘27,000 messages’ from agents offering players to Forest as the January transfer window enters its final stages.

“I’ll look to Spain again yes,” said Karanka. ”I couldn’t tell you about any particular player but I do have 27,000 messages from agents offering players which I haven’t opened yet. What I will bring is the same quality of player that we managed to bring to Middlesbrough,” he added.