Nottingham Forest transfer latest - midfielder 'checked on', striker bid claim made

Nottingham Forest are heading into an important period on and off the pitch as they try to kickstart their season.

Friday night’s 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town ended a run of three defeats on the bounce for Oliver Glasner’s side, but they still have only one Premier League victory to their name so far this term. Meanwhile, a big January transfer window is fast approaching for the Reds.

The rumour mill is already beginning to crank into gear over what potential business Forest could oversee in the new year. The Nottingham Post takes a look at some of the latest rumours…

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The Reds shook hands with AC Milan in the summer regarding a loan deal for winger Omari Hutchinson. Ahead of January, a report has suggested the two clubs could soon be in negotiations again.

According to TEAMtalk, Forest have “checked on” midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek as they assess potential options for the winter window. Brentford are said to have done the same, while Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have “enquired” about the former Chelsea man and teammate Fikayo Tomori.

Both players will be out of contract next summer and are “increasingly likely” to be back in England come the new year. Milan are said to be open to letting the duo go and are “prepared to negotiate” with potential suitors.

Loftus-Cheek is reportedly keen to return to the Premier League after three years in Italy since leaving Stamford Bridge. It is claimed a number of clubs from the English top flight were in attendance at Bournemouth last Thursday to watch Milan’s Europa League clash with the Cherries, which the visitors lost 3-0.

The Nottingham Post says: It would come as little surprise if Forest pursue midfield reinforcements in January. They tried to bring in another midfielder before the summer window closed but didn’t manage to get a deal over the line.

James McAtee impressing in a deeper role meant that particular position became less of a priority. Nevertheless, the Reds came close to signing Harrison Armstrong, only for Everton to pull the plug amid a backlash from fans, while they also eyed up Liverpool’s Trey Nyoni and Tottenham Hotspur’s Lucas Bergvall.

Loftus-Cheek undoubtedly has valuable experience to offer, particular in the Premier League. He played more than 100 league games for Chelsea and also represented Crystal Palace and Fulham in loan spells.

Given his contract situation, he might be available for a cut-price fee. What might count against him where Forest are concerned is his age. The Reds were looking at a younger profile of player in the summer, something that has been key to their transfer strategy in recent windows.

Goals continue to be an issue for Glasner’s team this season. Forest are creating chances but are paying the price for not making the most of them.

Brentford’s Igor Thiago has emerged as a potential solution to the problem. It has been claimed by 4-4-2.com that the Reds had a €70 million (£58m) offer for the Brazilian rejected in the summer.

The suggestion is that interest has not gone away, with Spurs and Aston Villa now also “keeping a close eye” on the 25-year-old’s situation. For their part, it is said the Bees would only consider offers in the region of €80-90m (£67-75) for the striker, who is under contract until 2031.

The Nottingham Post says: Forest splashed out an initial £45m to bring in Liam Delap from Chelsea in the summer. The 23-year-old became the club’s record signing in the process.

So far, Delap is still finding his way. He has demonstrated his potential, including with a terrific strike against Aston Villa and an impressive overall performance against Arsenal, but is yet to convert that into goals.

Glasner believes in the former Chelsea man and will continue to back him. The Reds know some patience may be required.

It doesn’t help their attacking woes in the meantime, but it still seems unlikely the club would consider another big-money swoop for a forward in January. The focus for Glasner will be on trying to get the best out of Delap.

Sarah Clapson is Nottingham Forest correspondent for NottinghamshireLive and the Nottingham Post. An experienced sports reporter, she has covered the Reds since 2015, having joined the Post the previous year. Sarah has been in sports journalism for two decades and previously covered Mansfield Town for the Post, and before that Scunthorpe United for the Scunthorpe Telegraph. During her time covering Forest, she has been involved in the coverage of everything from Evangelos Marinakis’ takeover of the club to the promotion win at Wembley; from a points deduction to an FA Cup semi-final - not to mention plenty of managerial changes and numerous transfer sagas. She follows the team up and down the country, as well as abroad, to report on the latest goings-on.

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