Nottingham Forest have launched a move to try and sign a new striker in January, it has emerged, and they have already had a response.
Nottingham Forest still pursuing a striker
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have enjoyed an excellent start to the 24/25 Premier League campaign, even with a defeat to Newcastle United in their most recent outing leaving them fifth in the Premier League at the quarter stage, after they had been as high as third.
Behind Arsenal and Chelsea only on goal difference, the Garibaldi have been spearheaded by the form of New Zealand striker Chris Wood, who has found the net a mammoth eight times and has the best conversion rate of any striker in the Premier League since Nuno arrived.
Now well beyond a traditional purple patch, the 32-year-old has emerged as one of the top flight’s most lethal marksmen, and accounts for over 50% of Forest’s goals this season so far.
Chris Wood under Nuno Espírito Santo | |
Appearances | 28 |
Goals | 18 |
Assists | 1 |
Minutes per goal/assist | 125 |
However, they remain keen to sign an alternative striker to provide cover and competition for the ex-Newcastle man, with the reliable John Percy explaining: “I think a striker has got to be the priority.”
“They obviously looked in the summer and sort of rained back a bit and thought, let’s just wait, which we’ve all said at the time was another sign of the evolution of the club and maturity. But I think that’s going to be the number one priority.”
Now, they appear to be trying to land one ahead of the January transfer window.
Nottingham Forest try audacious swoop for teenage star
That comes as reports in Germany [Via Sport Witness] claim that Nottingham Forest have approached Bayern Munich over a potential deal to sign Mathys Tel.
The teenager has seen his gametime limited at the Allianz Arena, racking up just 224 minutes under new boss Vincent Kompany despite his evident potential, with Football analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as an “Elite level goal-scorer” on X, before adding that he is a “2-footed ball-striking machine” who is also a “clinical finisher” with “top movement”.
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Nuno and Forest may have a fight on their hands to retain one of their best players this January.
And after reports that he could be available on loan in January, it appears that Forest wanted to test the waters over a potential mid-season switch. It is claimed that they offered to take the Frenchman on loan, but that Tel himself “rejected” the move to the City Ground, explaining that “he wants to join a top club” if he leaves Bayern this winter.
Tel himself is in no rush to leave, with the France U21 international still having almost five years left to run on his £80,000 a week deal in Bavaria, and keen to remain at the Allianz Stadium to eventually replace Harry Kane.
Though he is undoubtedly a quality striker, he would be a major change from Chris Wood and other physical strikers that Forest have chased in recent transfer windows, which could have had a knock on effect on their results across the remainder of the season. Perhaps, then, missing out on the teenager is for the best.
