Nottingham Forest have now submitted a £50m offer for a "fantastic" striker, who they hope to have signed before the summer transfer window opens, according to a report.
Nottingham Forest's striker search underway
It would be fair to say Chris Wood has been one of the best performers for Forest this season, with the New Zealand international bagging 18 goals in the Premier League to help propel his side into Champions League contention.
However, Wood is arguably in the twilight years of his career at 33 years old, which means Nuno Espirito Santo may need to start thinking about a long-term replacement, and his side's push for Europe should place them in a good position to sign a top striker.
Brentford's Yoane Wissa is one of the names on the shortlist, with Forest now working on a deal for the Brentford star, who could be available for just £20m, while fellow Premier League striker, Wolverhampton Wanderers' Matheus Cunha is also of interest.
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The Premier League side sense a golden opportunity to back Nuno Espirito Santo.
One of the most high-profile players on the shortlist is Napoli's Victor Osimhen, with the Nigerian set to be available for £63m this summer, and the Tricky Trees would have no issues paying his wages.
Signing Osimhen would be a real statement of intent, but Nottingham Forest have reportedly now taken the first step towards signing a different striker, having submitted a formal offer of €60m (£50m) for Liverpool's Darwin Nunez.
Liverpool's Darwin Nunez reacts
Nunez has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield, with Arne Slot making it clear the Uruguayan is not in his plans for next season, which means a summer move could be on the cards, and Forest believe he has the ability to be a key player.
Interestingly, the report states Nuno's side are eager to get a deal done as soon as possible and they are currently leading the race for the forward's signature.
"Fantastic" Nunez could reignite career at Nottingham Forest
Things haven't always been easy for the 25-year-old since arriving at Anfield, having received widespread criticism at times, but he managed to maintain a decent goal record during his first two seasons on Merseyside.
Season Premier League appearances Goals Assists
2022-23 29 9 3
2023-24 36 11 8
2024-25 23 5 3
Since then, the "fantastic" former Benfica man has fallen down the pecking order, but he has still managed to score some important goals for Liverpool this season, most notably finding the back of the net twice against Brentford to secure a late victory.
Nunez's flashes of brilliance, coupled with his fantastic goal record in Portugal, demonstrate that he could be a top signing for Forest if he is able to perform at his best on a more consistent basis.
That said, it could be a risky move for Forest, and it may be wise to focus on other targets who have performed well in the Premier League this season, such as Wissa and Cunha.