Nottingham Forest have a huge couple of months ahead of them, with Sean Dyche desperately needing to avoid Premier League relegation come the end of May.
Since taking the reins from Ange Postecoglou back in late October, the Reds have lost six times in England’s top-flight, but are sitting on the right side of the dotted line at present.
His men currently boast a six-point gap over West Ham United with 14 games remaining, ahead of a crucial clash with Leeds United at Elland Road on Friday night.
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche looks on
With the transfer window now closed until the summer, Dyche won’t be able to add to his ranks at the City Ground, but the recruitment team did secure the signatures of three talents.
Luca Netz, Lorenzo Lucca and Stefan Ortega all arrived in the East Midlands, but it appears to be a case of one that got away from the Reds on deadline day.
Nottingham Forest’s failed deadline day move for Celtic’s Arne Engels
Heading into the final day of the transfer window, Forest were on the hunt for a new midfielder to provide further depth and quality to the heart of Dyche’s side.
Countless names had been mentioned throughout the window, with Inter Milan star Davide Frattesi just one player who looked almost certain to move to the City Ground.
Davide-Frattesi-SPURS
However, despite agreeing a deal with the Italian club, the player himself was unsure on the move, which led to rumours over a possible deal to land Celtic star Arne Engels.
The Belgian, who’s made 37 appearances this season, was the subject of a £14m bid going into the last 24 hours of the window, but such a move was dismissed out of hand by the Scottish side.
Such an offer would only be the beginning of the saga, with Celtic boss Martin O’Neill claiming that he would only depart Celtic Park if an offer of £100m was presented.
Despite the claim from his boss, Forest tested the resolve further for the 22-year-old’s signature, making two more bids before the window slammed shut.
arne-engels-celtic-roma
The final offer totalled £25m, including add-ons, but just as the first two were, the bid was knocked back - with Engels forced to stay in Scotland until the summer at the earliest.
However, the player himself is now said to be frustrated that the move to Nottingham failed to materialise, which could once again open the door to a summer move.
Forest's very own Engels
Over the last couple of years, the Forest hierarchy have done an excellent job in strengthening the midfield department, subsequently handing various managers with numerous top-level talents.
marinakis-nottingham-forest
Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare are the preferred pairing at the base of the midfield at present, with the current duo arguably undroppable given their current form.
The former of the duo has developed into one of the country’s hottest properties this season, as seen by the rumours linking him with a £100m in the summer window.
As for the Ivorian, he endured a tricky start to life in Nottingham, which resulted in many fans getting on his back after the board forked out £35m for his signature in 2023.
Dyche’s side only managed to win one of the five games they played whilst he was away at AFCON, which could highlight his current importance to the senior ranks.
sangare (2)
Numerous other top-level talents are also on the books in such an area, with Nicolas Dominguez another player who has thrived after his own move to the East Midlands.
The Argentine joined the club in an £8m deal from Bologna during the same summer as Sangare, with the deal for the 27-year-old undoubtedly exceeding all expectations after Steve Cooper brought him to the club.
Since his subsequent transfer, he’s now racked up 89 appearances across all competitions, even featuring in a somewhat unnatural role - but one that has taken to brilliantly.
In recent weeks, Dominguez has operated off the left-hand side of the attack, with his work rate and effort off the ball undoubtedly a huge factor in his selection.
Nicolas-Dominguez-Forest
He’s run further than any other Forest player in the Premier League this season, with his relentless pressing a huge asset to the manager without the ball at his feet.
The Argentine has also won possession in the final third more than any other senior member of the squad, reaffirming his incredible ability out of possession - leading to one journalist labelling him as "outstanding".
Nicolas Dominguez - PL stats (2025/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Games played
Goals & assists
Pass accuracy
Cross accuracy
Duels won
Duel success rate
Tackles made
Possession won in final third
Stats via FotMob
Despite his small frame, the midfielder has also contributed to the Reds’ attacking unit in 2025/26, scoring the equaliser in the win over West Ham - subsequently doing so in remarkable fashion.
His near-post flick on sailed perfectly into the far corner of the net, with his effort handing the Reds the platform for victory in the vital bottom-of-the-table clash.
As a result of his recent impressive displays. Dominguez has seen his market value soar over the last couple of months, with FootballTransfers now valuing him at £20.2m.
Such a figure is a £12m increase on the fee paid for his signature a couple of years ago, which does highlight the superb recruitment conducted by the club in the market.
Nottingham Forest's Nicolas Dominguez in action with West Ham United's Guido Rodriguez
Nottingham Forest's Nicolas Dominguez in action with West Ham United's Guido Rodriguez
It’s also a figure higher than that of deadline day target Engels, with the Belgian valued at just £9.5m despite the mammoth bids made for his services in recent days.
It’s evident that Dyche and the board wanted added reinforcements at the heart of the side, but a move for Engels certainly gave off vibes of a last-minute panic buy.
It remains to be seen if the failure to land a new midfielder could cost the Reds come the end of the season, with the possibility of relegation still looming.
However, if Dominguez can keep fit between now and the end of the campaign, there’s no reason why the Reds can’t enjoy a fifth straight top-flight campaign in 2026/27.
Lorenzo Lucca of SSC Napoli gestures Related
Better than Lucca: Nottingham Forest hold talks to sign Mateta alternative
Nottingham Forest are set to pursue a move for a new striker after missing out on Jean-Philippe Mateta.