Head coach Steve Cooper says nothing is “imminent” on the transfer front for Nottingham Forest, either incoming or outgoing.
And he admits sanctioning any potential departures is complicated by an injury list which features a number of key players. With the Reds bidding to reach the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and fighting to preserve their Premier League status, they do not want to leave themselves short of options before new signings arrive.
Defenders Moussa Niakhate (hamstring), Omar Richards (hairline fracture of the leg) and Giulian Biancone (ACL), along with midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate (hamstring) are long-term absentees. Meanwhile, attacker Jesse Lingard is midway through recovering from a hamstring problem which is expected to keep him out for a month, and the club have some other injury doubts ahead of Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
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Forest want to strengthen at centre-back, in midfield and up front in the transfer window, while several players have been linked with moves elsewhere. The priority, though, is to ensure Cooper has sufficient strength in depth in all areas come the end of the month.
“All players want to play, and I respect that,” said the Welshman. “The problem we have at the moment is we have picked up some injuries since the World Cup.
“Cheikhou got injured and Giulian Biancone was already out. Unfortunately, they have all been long-term injuries.
“Our injury list is not a nice one at the moment, so that has contributed to the current squad. We have to be careful letting players out at the moment, while we have got those injuries and when players aren’t coming in.
“There’s loads of moving parts to trying to put a squad together for when the window closes. We have a good working group, but it’s a busy medical room and an unwanted list.
“Jesse is maybe a couple of weeks away, but everybody else is nowhere near a return-to-play date, so that’s unfortunately been a negative contribution to the squad make-up at the moment. But we get on with it and my focus is on the boys who are training every day and are available for the next games.
“There isn’t anything imminent about to happen. I know if something was, I would be fully aware.
“But I do know there’s a lot of work going on, and I trust Filipo (Giraldi, sporting director) that when the time is right and he feels I should know something, he will tell me. He really wants me to focus on the training and the preparation for Wolves at the moment.
“If at such time we need to talk about some things, we’ll do that. At the moment, in and out, I don’t think anything is about to happen.”
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