With Nottingham Forest enjoying their best and most consistent form since promotion back to the Premier League – Saturday’s 4-1 FA Cup aberration at Blackpool aside – the prospect of yet more new faces arriving at the City Ground will raise yet more questions about the club’s rampant recruitment policy.
Why shake up the dressing room again, at a time where Cooper is making progress turning a bunch of strangers into a team worthy of the name?
But like in the summer – when over 20 players arrived for over £100 million – some context is required. Steve Cooper lost a hefty chunk of his promotion-winning squad following May’s play-off final victory over Huddersfield Town, and the Forest boss has already seen Loic Bade depart since the turn of the year.
Despite Bade’s lack of game time on the banks of the Trent, the now-Sevilla loanee will still need replacing. Fellow defender Giulian Biancone is set for another few months on the sidelines too, while Lewis O’Brien and Sam Surridge are loan targets for Championship clubs.
There is a chance that Emmanuel Dennis will go too, having started just three Premier League games in five months.
Further comings and goings at Nottingham Forest
The ongoing uncertainty surrounding so many Forest players, then, should go a long way to explaining why Cooper hopes to bring in further reinforcements at the back, up front and in midfield ahead of February’s transfer deadline.
Talks regarding Palmeiras’ £22 million-rated enforcer Danilo are underway (Jorge Nicola). Cooper wants a deep-lying, tough-tackling ball-winner. And 21-year-old Danilo – who models his game on N’Golo Kante – fits the bill. Forest have overtaken the likes of Arsenal, West Ham and Wolves in pursuit of the Brazilian’s signature, despite valuing the two-time Copa Libertadores winner closer to £16 million (Calciomercato).
Danilo is younger and more attainable than Forest’s other midfield targets; Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton), Jefferson Lerma (AFC Bournemouth), and Lassana Coulibaly (Salernitana). Forest showed an interest in Oliver Abilidgaard over the summer. But, while the rangy Dane looks set to leave Celtic, there is no suggestion that Cooper will come calling again.
Danilo, meanwhile, averages more tackles per game (2.1) than any of the midfielder’s currently in Cooper’s squad. His arrival would help fill a void created by a recent hamstring injury to the previously in-form Cheikhou Kouyate, while providing a sheet of steel in front of a sometimes error-prone defence.
Loic Bade out, Mason Holgate in?
Further back, Nottingham Forest are in for Everton’s Mason Holgate (Sky Sports) and Fortuna Dusseldorf’s Jamil Siebert. Cash-strapped Everton will not let Holgate go on loan but could be tempted to accept permanent offers. The agent of Germany U20 international Siebert, meanwhile, has already admitted Forest’s interest.
Cooper may prefer Holgate. It would presumably take the Doncaster-born stopper less time to adapt in the midst of a hectic relegation battle.
Arnaut Danjuma and Ismaila Sarr – two more names on a Nottingham Forest wishlist longer than the Bayeux Tapestry – also possess Premier League experience, with AFC Bournemouth and Watford respectively. According to The Mirror, Forest have an ace up their sleeve in their pursuit of the coveted Senegal speedster Sarr; offering former Hornets favourite Dennis in exchange.
Dazzling Danjuma
Sky, meanwhile, believe that Danjuma also has admirers at the City Ground. With 33 goals in the last two seasons – including 16 for Champions League semi-finalists Villarreal – the versatile, skilful Danjuma is the sort of match-winning, game-changing talent who could drag Forest out of the Premier League’s bottom three. He won’t come cheap. There is a £45 million release clause in his contract. But the dazzling Dutchman offers far greater end product than Sarr, not to mention the flexibility required to thrive in a wide role or through the middle.
Sheraldo Becker is another versatile forward under consideration. Becker admits to having discussed a move to the City Ground with former Union Berlin strike-partner Taiwo Awoniyi. But he remains committed to the Bundesliga high-flyers. Bari, meanwhile, are reluctant to cash in on World Cup semi-finalist Walid Cheddira.
In further news, Surridge hopes to stay and fight for his place, while Renan Lodi’s agent has ruled out an early departure for the Atletico Madrid loanee. Alex Moreno, who turned down Forest in the summer, is now joining Aston Villa for £13 million.
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