Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha will kickstart Nottingham Forest’s transfer window when they arrive after the Club World Cup, with four more positions eyed by Nuno Espírito Santo.
Building up the excitement, Jesus has been starring at the Club World Cup with two goals in as many games, with Cunha at the back helping Botafogo keep a clean sheet against PSG.
Jesus and Jair will arrive at Forest after the Club World Cup in what could well be a quick turnaround to get them ready for the Premier League season.
They won’t be the only ones through the door, though, as Evangelos Marinakis has ambitious plans for Forest this summer, with Nuno reportedly demanding that four positions in his squad are strengthened before the transfer window shuts.
Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Nuno Espírito Santo targets four positions to boost Nottingham Forest
Towards the end of the season, it became more apparent that the Forest squad had a few holes in it, especially going forward, as the team struggled to adapt to Chris Wood’s goals drying up.
To address these gaps, John Percy of The Telegraph is reporting that Nuno wants to bring in players in four key areas, with two signings aimed at supporting Jesus in bolstering the Reds’ frontline.
The report said: “Nuno is also targeting at least two wingers, a central midfielder, a left-back and a number two goalkeeper.”
A central midfielder is expected as Douglas Luiz has been extensively linked with Forest, while a left-back will certainly need adding to replace Alex Moreno when he returns to Aston Villa.
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However, targeting wingers and a goalkeeper suggests that some in the Reds squad may be on their way out as the backup options at the City Ground change shape.
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Forest had a settled XI last season, which undoubtedly played to their advantage, but this had the knock-on effect of leaving a number of the fringe players without meaningful chances to impress.
If Espírito Santo is to sign a new goalkeeper to compete with Matz Sels, this will surely see the end of Carlos Miguel’s time in English football.
Miguel has already been linked with a summer move, which will likely accelerate if this new goalkeeper is found. An identical scenario could then play out with forgotten winger Ramon Sosa, who will be in line for a departure if Espírito Santo can find his desired wingers.
It’s already been said that Palmeiras desperately want to sign Sosa, who never made an impact at Forest. Ironically, he would likely see more opportunities come his way with the UEFA Conference League fixtures added, but it seems as if a fresh crop of additions to the squad will take that chance instead.