Nottingham Forest have massively struggled for goals during the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, which has no doubt confined the club to a relegation battle.
Sean Dyche’s men have only scored 24 times in the 24 league outings to date, with attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White the current top scorer on six goals.
No centre-forward has registered more than two league goals this season, with last season’s talisman Chris Wood still out injured after undergoing knee surgery.
chris-wood-nottingham-forest-europa-league
Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi have only netted three combined top-flight goals, further reaffirming the issues the manager has had to contend with since taking the reins.
Lorenzo Lucca has been brought into the City Ground to try and improve the current situation, but the Italian wasn’t the only attacker on their radar during January.
How close Nottingham Forest came to signing Mateta
In an attempt to land another centre-forward this winter, Forest identified Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta as a possible option to improve the squad.
The Frenchman stated his desire to leave Selhurst Park during January, which resulted in the 28-year-old even handing in a transfer request to help force a move.
Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace
As a result, the Reds made an offer in the region of £35m for his services, with such an offer falling just shy of Oliver Glasner’s side’s valuation of around £40m.
Mateta had even agreed personal terms with Dyche’s men over a move, until AC Milan stormed into the race and took the lead and agreed a move for his services.
The player even travelled to undergo a medical with the Italian outfit, but a move failed to materialise after a knee injury was flagged during his medical tests.
Former Forest striker is outscoring Mateta after leaving
Given the huge rumours over added attacking reinforcements in January, the Forest faithful will no doubt be disappointed by the lack of additions within the final third.
Lucca is yet to make his debut at the City Ground, but his lack of experience in the Premier League has certainly made him somewhat of a risky winter reinforcement.
Lorenzo Lucca of SSC Napoli gestures-1
It also remains to be seen whether the Italian will be a regular starter under Dyche, or whether the manager will stick by Jesus to provide the goods in front of goal.
Mateta would undoubtedly have been an upgrade on the options in the striking department, with the Frenchman already netting eight league goals in the 2025/26 campaign.
However, the club may have made a mistake in allowing former striker Sam Surridge to depart the East Midlands, given his form away from the City Ground in recent years.
The Englishman racked up a total of 50 appearances for the Reds after joining from Stoke City for a reported £2m back in the January window in 2022.
Sam Surridge
The 27-year-old netted 11 goals during his 18-month spell in the East Midlands, often producing the goods in helping the Reds secure their return to the Premier League.
However, he was often seen as a bit-part player under Steve Cooper during the club's first season back in the top-flight, subsequently completing a £5m move to join MLS side Nashville SC in 2023.
Surridge has since made 88 appearances for the American club, scoring on 51 occasions - subsequently demonstrating his impressive ability in front of goal.
During the most recent season in the MLS, the 27-year-old managed to net 31 times in his 40 appearances - with only the iconic Lionel Messi registering more.
Sam Surridge's stats since leaving Forest
Statistics (per 90)
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
Mins per goal
Mins per assist
Yellow cards
Penalties scored
Penalties missed
Stats via Transfermarkt
Surridge has reached astronomical levels since leaving the City Ground, subsequently showcasing the mistake the club made in letting him leave.
In the last 18 months, Mateta has only managed to find the net on 22 occasions, with the former Forest star netting nine more goals - with his clinical edge on show in the MLS. He's been simply brilliant, with teammate Daniel Lovitz hailing him as a "really dangerous guy to play against" after scoring a hat-trick in a 3-2 win over New England Revolution.
There’s no doubt he’s shown the goalscoring talents needed to get the Reds out of their current situation, with the hierarchy undoubtedly ruing their decision to let him leave.
£5m now appears to be a hugely cheap fee given his recent exploits in America, with their loss potentially coming back to bite them come the end of the season.
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