Cooper: We must make even more signings

STEVE COOPER has vowed to add to Nottingham Forest’s 12 new signings during this transfer window as they prepare for their first top-flight fixture this century.

Forest will arrive at Newcastle tomorrow with a new-look team after spending around £85million this summer, with Jesse Lingard the most eye-catching of their recruits. But the manager insists Forest are not done yet as they continue to pursue £30million-rated Wolves’ playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White — who was part of the England Under 17 squad that won the World Cup under Cooper.

‘I think there will be more ins and outs,’ said Cooper. ‘We had no alternative other than to make the amount of changes we have made. We had five players on loan last season and players out of contract this summer. ‘Even if we were still in the Championship we would have made the same number of changes.’

Any club that spends heavily after promotion risks being compared to Fulham, who committed £105m on 10 players in the summer of 2018 and were promptly relegated at the end of the following season. Cooper was careful to avoid such comparisons, though he knows the answers will only come when the action begins. Forest need players like Lingard to shine from the off. Cooper added: ‘Of course we wanted him to come, but it was important he showed he wanted to come — which he did. I have to accept dealing with bigger names at this level and Jesse is a good example.

‘As well as other factors, you have to make decisions on signing players on their reaction and your gut feeling.’