Nottingham Forest were left with mixed feelings after the winter transfer window closed
09:41, 10 Feb 2026
Brighton and Hove Albion's Lewis Dunk was on Nottingham Forest's radar during the January window
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Brighton and Hove Albion's Lewis Dunk was on Nottingham Forest's radar during the January window(Image: Getty)
Nottingham Forest reportedly came close to signing Brighton and Hove Albion defender Lewis Dunk before the winter transfer window closed.
The centre-back has been on the Reds’ radar for some time. They reignited their interest in him last month as they sought to strengthen Sean Dyche’s squad for the second half of the campaign.
An enquiry from Forest was said to have been knocked back by the Seagulls. The south coast club reportedly made it clear they had no interest in selling the man who has been with them for his entire career.
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However, a new report by the Daily Mail has claimed Brighton actually accepted an offer from the Reds for Dunk. A move did not go through because the 34-year-old turned down a switch to the City Ground.
The contract offer proposed by Forest was a “financially attractive” one, according to The Argus, and would have tied him down until 2028. The England international was permitted to speak to the Reds but reportedly wasn’t prepared to renege on his commitment to Albion.
In the end, Forest brought in three new faces before the window closed. Striker Lorenzo Lucca, goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and left-back Luca Netz all put pen to paper Trentside.
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The club had a midfielder and another striker on their shopping list but they didn’t manage to get those deals done. Head coach Dyche had stated throughout January that it was a difficult window and market to operate in.
“The balance of the group on the whole is OK,” he said after deadline day. “If we could have strengthened (further), we would but it is not easy to get deals over the line.”
He added: “There were a number of situations we felt we could operate in. But I did say before the window that actually getting deals done is not an easy process."
Forest had been linked with Dunk last summer. Dyche’s charges will make the trip south to face Brighton next month, on Sunday, March 1.
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