Nottingham Forest’s excellent Premier League form means the forthcoming January transfer window will take on added importance.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Reds are fourth in the table after making it three wins on the bounce with a 2-0 victory at Brentford on Saturday. The club will know getting it right in the transfer market next month could be key to building on a fine first half of the campaign.
The rumour mill has already been in full swing ahead of the new year. Below, we round up the latest Forest transfer news and gossip.
Midfielder claim
The agent of Edoardo Bove has been discussing his client’s links with Forest back in the summer. And he claims the midfielder was being ‘pushed’ towards a move to the City Ground.
In the end, Bove joined Fiorentina on loan from Roma. But agent Diego Tavano says former Roma CEO Lina Souloukou, who is being lined up for a role within Reds owner Evangelos Marinakis’ stable of clubs, wanted the 22-year-old to join Forest.
“It was a tough summer. I had a very good rapport with (former Roma boss) Daniele De Rossi, who told me that Bove could stay but would have a lot of competition for places,” Tavano told Corriere dello Sport (via Football Italia). “I noted it had to be the season of his consecration, so it was important for him to get regular playing time. After that is where the former CEO of Roma started pressuring hard for him to leave.
“It all reached a head on August 30, when she wanted to push him to accept the sale to Nottingham Forest for €8m (£6.6m). There was also the idea of a loan to Olympiacos from Nottingham, but I considered that transfer value to be far below his real worth.
“We fought hard and I reassured her I would find a situation to suit everyone and get more money for the club. That solution for us was only Fiorentina. De Rossi, in any case, always advised the club to give Edo away with an option to bring him back.”
Bove is recovering after he collapsed on the pitch during his side’s Serie A match against Inter Milan a few weeks ago. He reportedly joined Fiorentina on loan for €1.5m (£1.2m) with a €10.5m (£8.7m) option to buy that would become an obligation if he featured in 60 percent of the club’s matches this season.
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Premier League
Loan review
On-loan Reds winger Josh Bowler could be on the move again in January. However, it appears his situation is not exactly a straightforward one.
The 25-year-old is yet to make a first-team appearance for Forest and has had a succession of loans since he joined the club in the summer of 2022. He is currently on loan at Preston North End but is struggling for regular game time.
According to the Lancashire Post, the Lilywhites and the Reds are in talks about potentially ending Bowler’s spell early. However, it is claimed his deal does not include a recall clause and that means another solution must be found.
Bowler has just changed agent and it is said one possibility would be for another club to come in for the wide man. He was not involved on Saturday as Preston lost 2-1 at QPR, but a recall to the team has not been ruled out if he ends up staying put at Deepdale.
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Late push
Patience might be the name of the game for Forest in January. It seems the end of the month could be busier than the start as reinforcements are eyed.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has outlined what to expect at the City Ground when the window opens. Owner Marinakis has been tipped to bolster Nuno’s squad, but it might be that deals get done closer to deadline day on February 3.
“They love the transfer window at Forest! So yes, I expect them to do something as the Marinakis family loves to do,” Romano told GIVEMESPORT.
“But usually they move in the final days of the market, when opportunities appear. Nothing is really concrete or close now.”
Defender exit?
The Reds will have a few decisions to make about potential departures in January. It might be that some players head out on loan in search of more game time.
Defender Andrew Omobamidele could fall into that category. He finds himself down the pecking order at present and has featured just once in the Garibaldi so far this season.
According to The Telegraph, the 22-year-old is a target for several clubs ahead of the new year. It is said Leeds United were keen on him in the summer, with boss Daniel Farke having worked with Omobamidele when the pair were at Norwich City together.
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