Nottingham Forest made tweaks to Sean Dyche's Reds squad during the winter transfer window
09:00, 03 Feb 2026
New Nottingham Forest signing Lorenzo Lucca
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New Nottingham Forest signing Lorenzo Lucca(Image: Getty)
Head coach Sean Dyche now knows the Nottingham Forest squad he will have to work with for the remainder of the season.
It proved to be a relatively quiet winter transfer window on the banks of the Trent - just as Dyche predicted it might be - with three signings made. The Reds boss had said all along that deals would only be done if they were the right fit for the club.
Striker Lorenzo Lucca became Forest’s first addition of the window when he put pen to paper on January 23. There is an option for the Napoli loanee’s switch to be made a permanent one in the summer.
Lucca is yet to make his debut in the Garibaldi. He was an unused substitute for Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and will hope to get his first minutes for the club when Dyche’s side go to Elland Road to face Leeds United on Friday.
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At 6ft 7in tall, the Italian will certainly provide a physical presence up front for the Reds and will be able to get on the end of crosses. Dyche has said of him: “He is a big, big fella, but he can also move. He moves well.”
Lucca will provide competition for Igor Jesus up front. The Brazilian has had to play a lot of minutes of late and will now have someone else to ease the load.
Long-term absentee Chris Wood remains sidelined following knee surgery but Taiwo Awoniyi will believe he can still have a part to play this season. The Nigerian reminded Forest what he is capable of with his well-taken goal at Brentford last month.
For much of his tenure, Dyche has stuck with an established group of first-teamers. Any changes have tended to come in the Europa League, when he has shuffled his pack to cope with a busy fixture list.
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Although the Reds didn’t make a significant number of signings in the winter window, they will still provide Dyche with different options. And perhaps in one case, a first run-out for the club may come sooner than initially anticipated.
Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega’s switch from Manchester City was confirmed shortly before kick-off against Palace. The German would have then watched on as Matz Sels had to be substituted at half-time due to injury.
Forest are waiting to discover the severity of Sels’ groin problem, with the Belgian having been due to undergo a scan. Summer signing Angus Gunn came on for the second half at the weekend but it could be Ortega who gets the nod from the off against Leeds, if required.
Dyche also now has another full-back option, following the arrival of Luca Netz from Borussia Monchengladbach on deadline day. Neco Williams is first-choice left-back - albeit he will be suspended for the clash at Elland Road - but cover was needed in that department following the termination of Oleksandr Zinchenko’s loan from Arsenal.
At 22, Netz is young but already has a significant amount of first-team minutes under his belt. He will provide back-up for Williams at left-back, with Ola Aina also able to operate on that flank.
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How Forest could line-up with their winter window signings in the XI: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Netz; Sangare, Anderson; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Dominguez; Lucca.
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