Head coach Steve Cooper has reiterated his stance that any January transfer talk is being put on hold until after Nottingham Forest’s final game before the World Cup break.
The Reds host Crystal Palace on Saturday looking to make it four Premier League games unbeaten at the City Ground. And they know a positive result could lift them off the foot of the table.
Work has been going on behind the scenes with a view to the winter window, but Cooper has stressed his full focus is on what happens on the pitch this weekend. There will be the opportunity for discussions with recently-appointed sporting director Filippo Giraldi once the season pauses.
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“At the moment, we’re only focused on Saturday. But after that - like at every club - there will be some meetings and some conversations,” Cooper said, ahead of facing Palace.
“Myself and Filippo have said, ‘let’s concentrate on the games for now, and then when this phase of games has finished, let’s pick up what else needs to be picked up’. I think that’s a good way for now.
“After the game, everyone is going into a break. But it’s not a break where everyone will split up and go away. There will be some time away, but not lots, because then we go into a really important period of preparing for the next phase.
“We won’t have to go through some of the behind-the-scenes stuff of putting everything together when we come back, so hopefully that will be in a stronger place, which allows us then to, hopefully, get to the next level, in terms of our identity, our togetherness, our performance levels and hopefully results. And hopefully it will give us half a chance of improving our league position, because that is what we all want.
“Nobody enjoys seeing us at the bottom of the table. But we have got to look at it as us being part of a group of teams where there’s not much between us.
“Would we rather be in the middle or at the top of that group? Of course. But we are only five points away from that. We’ve really got to keep committing to the plan, and hopefully things can improve.”
Owner Evangelos Marinakis sanctioned a significant spending spree in the summer, with 22 new arrivals brought in. But with the Greek fiercely ambitious, he will likely make further funds available in January in a bid to assist Forest’s fight to retain their top-flight status.
However, there is a balance to be struck. Cooper has spoken candidly about the challenges of integrating so many players amid a tough start to the season. There is sure to be an acknowledgement that just as the Reds are beginning to gel and make progress, they won’t want to disrupt that with another raft of new faces. As a result, the next window will not be anywhere near as busy as the last one.
How the injury situation looks before it opens could also have an impact on any plans. It is hoped Omar Richards, Moussa Niakhate and Harry Toffolo will be closer to making their comebacks after the World Cup. But the news Giulian Biancone will miss the rest of the season will no doubt come into the club’s consideration.
Attacking midfielder Gustavo Scarpa has been discussing his impending move to the City Ground since Palmeiras’ season has come to an end. He is due to link up with the Reds in the new year, having signed a pre-contract agreement, and has confirmed he has penned a three-and-a-half-year deal.
How Forest fit any January arrivals into their Premier League 25-man squad remains to be seen, however. New additions would mean having to leave out, or move on, some who had previously made the cut.
Midfielder Cafu and striker Lyle Taylor were left out of the squad for the first half of the campaign. Their positions are unlikely to have changed by January, pointing the way to potential exits.
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