BUYS AND SELS GIVE FOREST A BIG BOOST

reckons Nottingham Forest’s squad is more balanced after a late flurry of activity in the transfer window.

Forest brought in Giovanni Reyna, Matz Sels and Rodrigo Ribeiro (above) in the final 48 hours of the window, while Orel Mangala joined Lyon and a host of fringe players also left.

Manager Nuno (below) wanted to drastically trim his squad during January and now feels he has a tighter group suited to his needs ahead of tomorrow’s visit to Bournemouth.

“I think we have been able to bring in players that we think are going to be helpful for us, gives us more options,” said Nuno.

“I always said that it is a very difficult window to operate, it is hard, you can see how the clubs were quiet and not too much going on.”

Forest were looking at bringing goalkeeper David De Gea in but eventually settled on Sels from French side Strasbourg, with Nuno not biting on whether the former Manchester United captain was an option.

“He was playing usually at the club so he can help us also and give us another option for the goalkeepers,” said the Portuguese. “We are still waiting on the permit for him to be available.

“All the players that have come, the idea is for them to help us and give us solutions.

It is not about choices. Matz is here because he is a good goalkeeper. He is experienced, he is playing regularly and gives us another option. It is up to us then to decide which is the moment (to play him).

“A thousand names came out, most of them are not true so let’s stop the speculation about that.”

Forest let Mangala leave in a deal which will help the club’s accounts as they face a Premier League charge for financial irregularities. Nuno said: “I think it was a good situation for the club, a good negotiation.

“He went on loan, so he has an option, and we have options in the midfield situation. We wish Orel all the best in the world.”

Senegal defender Moussa Niakhate is back from the Africa Cup of Nations, but Cheikhou Kouyate will arrive later due to the recent death of his father.

Chris Wood is unlikely to be fit to face the Cherries because of a hamstring injury, while Serge Aurier, Ibrahim Sangare and Ola Aina are still away in Africa.

“We have problems, always problems,” he said.

“It was a very hard period of games before, based on the same players always playing, with not being able to rotate or rest.

“It is normal some issues come along, but we still have to wait and see.”