Nottingham Forest have an important January window ahead of them as they aim to build on their excellent start to the Premier League season.
Minimal work is required for the Reds in the transfer market. But that means overseeing the right deals carries added importance.
The rumour mill is already in full swing as the new year approaches. Below, NottinghamshireLive rounds up the latest news and gossip.
Loan review
The future of on-loan Forest youngster Esapa Osong is under review ahead of January. The 20-year-old is spending the season at Rotherham United but has recently been back at his parent club receiving treatment on a groin injury.
Millers manager Steve Evans wants to bring in two or three players next month and move a few in the opposite direction. With three loanees on the books, weighing up whether to release one or more of them is part of his thinking.
Forward Osong has made 10 appearances for Rotherham but is not expected to be available again until the new year. Sheffield Wednesday’s Mallik Wilks and Nuremburg’s Joe Hungbo are the other players who could see their spells in South Yorkshire cut short.
"There are break clauses on Mallik, Joe and Esapa so we’ve got to talk to the parent clubs and see where we are and whether they’re happy,” assistant manager Paul Raynor told the Rotherham Advertiser: "You also have to consider what we want to do as well, so that works both ways.
"We’ll have chats in the next week. We’ve already had initial talks with Rob Scott (director of football recruitment) and his guys, and that will be ongoing for the next week to 10 days and then we’ll see where we’re at.”
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Premier League
Competition emerges
The Reds have already been linked with Wigan Athletic attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard. But they are not the only club being credited with an interest in the 22-year-old.
Blackburn Rovers are also said to have their eye on the Norway Under-21 international, who has a £3 million price tag on his head. And one pundit believes the Championship side would have the edge over Forest in the race for Aasgaard’s signature.
Carlton Palmer told Football League World: "John Eustace (Rovers boss) has made it clear he wants to add to the squad in the new year, but Aasgaard doesn't want to leave Wigan and not get game time. He doesn't want to go to Nottingham Forest where he's not going to play regular football and not get game time, so I think Blackburn are in with a shout to get him because, obviously, if he goes to Blackburn Rovers, he will get regular games.
"Obviously, the problem that you've got is if a Premier League club wants you, you know that Premier League wages are higher, and then you get loaned out from there. So, I think Blackburn Rovers have got a chance of signing the player, especially as they're going well under Eustace.
"But everybody wants to play in the Premier League, that is for sure. So, we'll have to wait and see how that materialises."
Spence debate
The Djed Spence debate has frequently cropped up in recent transfer windows. And it has been reignited again amid suggestions a return to the City Ground would help get the defender’s career back on track.
Spence’s move to Tottenham Hotspur hasn’t exactly worked out as hoped. With that in mind, former Spurs scout Bryan King stated heading back to Forest could “be a potential move” for the right-back.
Plenty of Reds fans have had their say on whether they would like to see one of the promotion heroes back Trentside. Below is a look at some of the comments.
nottmbornnottmred: He isn't replacing anyone we've used at right or left back in the past year. He'll always be a hero here for his big part in our promotion season, but no thank you and all the best at your next club Mr Spence. Maybe Cooper wherever he ends up will see if he can bottle that lightning again.
westoztricky: I wouldn't be against it per se - right team, right environment to get the best out of him - at the right price of course. Can't see it though.
Rizzla255: Spence rejected his chance to grow at forest. There are no second chances, career regressed since he left.
stockyred: Wished we had kept Spence at the time but he didn't want us and went to Spurs. Do we need him now? Probably not. Do we want him now? Heart says maybe give him a chance, but head says no.
Gazgopher: 100% NO - Cooper managed him well for a season but Warnock warned of his attitude and has shown since move to Spurs . We are a different beast now in terms of signings !
Hertsred: He decided he wanted to go to spurs and had since failed to impress at every club including those in lower leagues like Leeds. Why would we want him back? Forever grateful for what he did to get us up but he made his choice…..
Midfielder stance
James Ward-Prowse finds himself out of the Forest XI at present. The midfielder is on loan at the City Ground from West Ham United, and it seems his parent club have already made up their mind about his future.
According to The Athletic, Ward-Prowse is one of four Hammers players “available for sale” in 2025. Like the 30-year-old, Nayef Aguerd, Kurt Zouma and Maxwel Cornet are also on season-long loans and apparently have no future at West Ham.
Ward-Prowse is spending the campaign Trentside. His is a straight loan, with no option included for the Reds to make his deal a permanent one.
What transfer business should Forest do in January? Click HERE to have your say