One to buy and one to sell for Nottingham Forest

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Irrespective of what division the Reds are in next season, they will need to sort out a large portion of their playing staff.

Nottingham Forest’s Britt Assombalonga celebrates scoring their first goal

While Nottingham Forest have welcomed new manager Mark Warburton to The City Ground, he will have to decide very quickly who he wants to keep and who he wants to sell.

The Forest squad is rather large and needs some trimming, but it also needs quality brought into it as frankly, there are players there that simply aren’t good enough for the club.

Taking into consideration the club’s weaknesses and strengths, here’s a signing Forest could make that would be a huge boost, and someone that if let go, wouldn’t exactly be a disaster.

One to buy – Grant Hanley

Admittedly, this one depends on whether Warburton keeps Forest in the Championship, but if he achieves that, then one thing that immediately needs addressing is central defence. Matt Mills and Michael Mancienne are both out of contract in the summer, so decisions need to be made about those two, and while Jack Hobbs is excellent, he’s very injury prone. As for Joe Worrall, he’s the future, but he’ll need someone both experienced and good alongside him. Step forward Hanley, whose summer move to Newcastle has proved to be a disaster for all parties concerned, so Forest may even get him for less than what the Magpies paid for him – and would be obtaining a brilliant centre half in the process.

Brighton’s Bruno Saltor in action with Nottingham Forest’s Jamie Ward

One to sell – Jamie Ward

One that divides opinion, but frankly put, Ward isn’t good enough for Nottingham Forest. It has become painfully evident as to why Derby County let him go when they were chasing promotion, as Ward’s inability to beat a player or cross a ball has proved infuriating for some supporters. There’s always the risk of Ward’s temperament spiralling out of control as well, and it doesn’t take much to set him off. The Northern Ireland international had a successful loan spell at Burton Albion this season, and it would make sense for everyone if Warburton sold the 30-year-old to the Brewers in the summer.