Forest figuring out transfer ‘jigsaw puzzle’ before return to Premier
BUT BLOW FOR REDS AS RICHARDS FACES SPELL ON SIDELINES
HEAD coach Steve Cooper says there has been a clear strategy behind putting Nottingham Forest’s transfer “jigsaw puzzle” together.
The Reds have had a busy summer window as they prepare to make the step up to the Premier League and they are not finished yet.
Eleven new signings have come through the door so far – albeit one, Brandon Aguilera, has immediately gone out on loan.
Further arrivals are still being targeted, while other players will add to the list of those to have already departed. Cooper has been very clear, however, on the club’s approach to their transfer business.
“There’s loads of good players that are available or you can buy or you get offered to you,” he told the Post after his team’s 3-1 friendly win over Hertha Berlin.
“But it’s not just that. Obviously we want good players but we want good players who fit our way of playing, fit our culture and fit our atmosphere.
“There’s lots of things which go into that. It’s like trying to put a jigsaw together, really.
“All of the players we have signed so far – and have kept, if you like – everyone knows they are good players but they are players who suit how I want the team to play. And they act and work and behave in the right way.”
Former Manchester United attacking midfielder Jesse Lingard joined as a free agent on Thursday, while Harry Toffolo and Lewis O’brien moved from Huddersfield Town on Wednesday.
They followed Taiwo Awoniyi, Dean Henderson, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards, Moussa Niakhate, Neco Williams, Wayne Hennessey and Aguilera in putting pen to paper at the City Ground.
Heading in the opposite direction,
Forest saw the five loanees – who all played integral roles last term – return to their parent clubs.
Out-of-contract quartet Tobias Figueiredo, Gaetan Bong, Carl Jenkinson and Lewis Grabban have left, while Brice Samba and Jayden Richardson made permanent moves, and Mohamed Drager, Ethan Horvath, Will Swan, Tyrese Fornah, Jonathan Panzo, Fin Back and Riley Harbottle have gone on loan.
There has been a setback for Forest, however, as Cooper says summer signing Richards faces a spell on the sidelines, having only signed for the Reds little more than a week ago.
It comes as midfielder Ryan Yates is absent with a knee problem and striker Sam Surridge is working his way back to fitness after groin surgery at the end of last term – although both are getting closer to a return
Richards has not featured for Forest in any of the friendlies since signing a four-year deal from Bayern Munich earlier this month.
But in response to suggestions the left-back has suffered a broken leg, Cooper told the BBC: “He’s not broken his leg.”
The Welshman said: “He has picked up an injury, and we’re still getting to the bottom of it. “It’s really unfortunate. “It’s not going to be a few days but it’s not going to be months and months and months. It’s something we’re going through and working on. When we know conclusive dates, we’ll let you know.
“But I guess the short-term feeling of it is one of a little bit of disappointment, because we got him here and he was so excited.
“He trained really well, and obviously it’s a bit of a setback. I said to him, ‘nothing changes, in terms of the plan for you, it’s just a little bit delayed.’”