It is expected to be a relatively quiet January transfer window for Nottingham Forest but sourcing a striker is certainly on the agenda.
The departure of Arnaud Kalimuendo on loan to Eintracht Frankfurt has left the Reds short of options at the top end of the pitch. Bolstering head coach Sean Dyche’s attacking options is a must for the club, given they still have work to do to secure Premier League survival and want to go far in the Europa League.
New Zealand international Chris Wood is facing an extended spell on the sidelines after knee surgery, while there is a question mark over Taiwo Awoniyi’s future amid his struggle for minutes. As a result, summer signing Igor Jesus is the man shouldering the responsibility up front for Forest.
A number of forwards have been linked with moves to the City Ground. Below, NottinghamshireLive sets out what we know about the Reds’ striker search.
Strand Larsen situation
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jorgen Strand Larsen first emerged as a Forest transfer target earlier this month. Talk about the Reds’ interest has only ramped up over the past couple of weeks.
The 25-year-old signed for Wolves permanently from Celta Vigo last summer after an initial loan spell which saw him bag 14 league goals last term. He was the subject of a bid from Newcastle United before the transfer window closed and went on to pen a new contract with the Molineux club in September.
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However, he has struggled to find the back of the net this season and has just a single Premier League goal to his name. With Wolves cut adrift at the bottom of the table, they are said to be willing to let the Norway international leave this month. West Ham United were previously said to be keen but have been put off by Strand Larsen’s reported £40 million price tag.
Such a fee has been slammed by talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan. In a warning to the Reds, he has suggested the player is not worth such a significant outlay.
Discussing Forest’s interest in Strand Larsen, Jordan recently said: “The emperor’s new clothes. Pay £50m for that rubbish? Good luck. He’s poor. I think he’s a poor player.”
What has been said?
Wolves boss Rob Edwards addressed rumours about Strand Larsen after his team’s FA Cup victory over Shrewsbury Town on Saturday. He emphasised the forward’s commitment to the cause but also admitted any decision about a player’s future will be based on what’s best for the club amid their dire prospects of Premier League survival.
“Jorgi keeps saying to me how committed he is – how much he wants to turn this around,” Edwards said. “But while we are in this window, there’s always going to be speculation about a number of our players because of the position we’re in – and the fact we have some good players.
“So, I get it, there’s going to be interest. But we’ll do everything on an individual basis and do what’s right for the club. We’re in control of it, but if it’s right, we’ll see. However, what I do think is that he is showing his commitment here.”
Strand Larsen, meanwhile, gave little away when quizzed about his future after scoring a hat-trick in his team’s 6-1 FA Cup win. He told the Express and Star: “There’s nothing to say at the moment, I feel really happy.
“I’ve been struggling this year to find my form and a striker needs to score a lot of goals to play every game. I got a little bit of space today and showed everyone I am still scoring goals. It was really good for me to show that again.”
What has Dyche said?
Asked directly about Strand Larsen ahead of last week’s FA Cup defeat to Wrexham Dyche said: “There’s interest in lots of different players. I don’t get involved in all that. They’re not my players until the pen’s on the paper.
“Once the ink’s dry then I’m more than happy. But, certainly, I’m not going to start changing my habits of a lifetime in football and mention about other people’s players.”
The 54-year-old did, however, suggest up front is an area in need of strengthening. Assessing his options, Dyche said: “You want effective players, that’s for sure. That’s what the club’s looking for and that’s what I’m looking for.
“We’ve done pretty well as a unit to score the goals we’ve done. I know there are question marks over that, but it’s not easy.
“Igor is working very hard. It’s finding goals for him – him finding them and us finding better chances for him, because so far he’s been the mainstay striker.
“We have found goals from other places, obviously Morgan Gibbs-White has done well with that. We’ve got to continue doing that. We’ll keep searching the market to find the next one in who we think can be effective.”
Other contenders
Strand Larsen is not the only potential option for Forest. The Reds have been eyeing up a few forwards as they work to find the right fit for Dyche’s squad and the best deal.
Fenerbahce’s Youssef En-Nesyri has also been linked with a switch to the City Ground. Turkish publication NTV Sport claim Forest have made a loan offer for the Moroccan.
However, the Reds might have a tough time persuading En-Nesyri to make the move. Reports from Turkey (via Sport Witness) have suggested the striker wants to play in a country warmer than England.
Roma’s Artem Dovbyk and Olympiacos’s Mehdi Taremi have been identified by The Athletic as making up Forest’s four-man striker shortlist. The Reds have also been credited with an interest in Brighton and Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson, who is currently on loan at Roma, and Napoli’s Lorenzo Lucca.
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