Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are hoping to kick on and avoid a repeat of the relegation scares that have clouded their two seasons since returning to the top flight.
Nottingham Forest have finished 16th and 17th since winning promotion and hopes are high a successful transfer window will help to establish the club within the safety of mid-table.
As such, Forest are looking upwards and hope to sign stars from two clubs who’ll compete in this season’s Champions League – Aston Villa and Arsenal.
Part one of their double deal has fallen into place, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano giving his signature ‘here we go’ confirmation to Forest’s move for Alex Moreno.
The left-back, 31, was signed by Unai Emery just 18 months ago in the winter window of 2023.
However, with Lucas Digne in situ and Ian Maatsen signed for £37.5m, Moreno is now surplus to requirements at Villa Park.
Taking to X, Romano revealed Forest have agreed a deal with Villa to sign the Spaniard on a season-long loan.
The loan will contain an option to buy and Forest have scheduled a medical on Wednesday morning for Moreno.
Phase two takes Nott’m Forest to Arsenal
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah is the next player in Forest’s sights. Forest have also explored a move for Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez, though it’s Nketiah who multiple sources have confirmed is the preferred option of the two.
Arsenal have rejected Forest’s opening bid worth £25m (add-ons included). The Gunners value Nketiah around the £30m mark.
Talks between the two clubs are continuing and TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Fraser Gillan, has learned Forest are prepared to spare no expense when thundering in with an improved bid.
We’ve been told a second bid is on the way, while Forest are also willing to pay Nketiah a salary that either matches or at the very least comes close to matching his current £120,000-a-week wages.
Doing so would install Nketiah as Forest’s highest earning player. However, such is their belief Nketiah is the striker for them, Forest are prepared to bite the bullet and spend heavily.
The Athletic reported Forest believe Nketiah would ‘fit perfectly’ into the corps of promising homegrown stars Nuno Espirito Santo is assembling.
Neco Williams, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Elliot Anderson are all key performers at the City Ground, are all British and are all under the age of 25.
Nketiah, 25, is viewed as the perfect player to spearhead the attack and Forest’s hope is their upcoming second bid will get the green light from Arsenal.
Personal terms must also be agreed and talks between Forest and Nketiah’s camp are also ongoing.
Crystal Palace also hold interest in Nketiah, though at present it’s Forest whose move is far more advanced
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