Relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest are eyeing moves for several high-profile transfer targets as they look to turn their Premier League season around.
Nottingham Forest find themselves in the Premier League relegation zone after 11 matches this term, sitting one point adrift of safety in 19th place, ahead of only winless Wolves.
The Reds are already on their third manager of the campaign following their dreadful start.
Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou were both dismissed off the back of their respective poor spells, with Sean Dyche now tasked with turning the East Midlands outfit’s season around.
He’s made a decent enough start in that sense, having lost just one of his opening five games.
That came in the form of a 2-0 loss at Bournemouth, with other results including draws against Manchester United and Sturm Graz, as well as wins over Porto and relegation rivals Leeds.
With Dyche reportedly set to be backed by City Ground chiefs in the transfer market this winter, we’re taking a look at the transfer targets that could potentially save their season.
Nottingham Forest Transfer Targets
James Garner (Everton)
Nottingham Forest are reported as a potential destination for Everton’s James Garner.
The 24-year-old spent two seasons on loan at the City Ground between 2021 and 2022 and helped the club gain promotion to the Premier League in his second campaign.
His contract at the Hill Dickinson Stadium expires next summer, alerting the likes of Forest, Aston Villa and Newcastle to his availability, as the Toffees may opt to sell for a fee in January.
However, it is reported that the Merseyside outfit have an option to extend his contract for another year. This means that the situation may not be as urgent as it currently seems.
Could his previous spells in Nottingham boost Forest’s position in the race for his signature? Additionally, the fact that he’s previously played under Dyche can only benefit their standing.
Their interest in Garner comes amid rumours of Elliot Anderson’s departure this winter.
Anderson has starred for the Reds since joining from Newcastle last summer, and he is now among the favourites to be on the plane in the England World Cup 2026 squad betting odds.
England’s elite are also swarming, with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool all linked with big-money moves in recent weeks.
Nathan De Cat (Anderlecht)
Another midfielder Forest have been linked with ahead of January is Nathan De Cat.
The Belgium youth international has made a strong start to the season with Anderlecht, with the Reds now linked with a move for the youngster alongside Tottenham and Villa.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are also credited with interest in signing the 17-year-old.
Having broken into the first team fold at Lotto Park at the end of last term, the defensive midfielder has made 19 appearances this term, registering one goal and one assist.
Reports suggest that De Cat, who was named among the 60 best young talents in world football by The Guardian earlier this year, would be available to purchase for an initial £18m fee.
Adama Traore (Fulham)
Could Forest reignite their interest in Fulham winger Adama Traore this winter?
The Reds tried signing the Spaniard in the summer but failed, and instead ended up signing Dan Ndoye from Bologna, Dilane Bakwa from Strasbourg and Omari Hutchinson from Ipswich.
None of them have had a particularly strong impact since arriving, therefore the City Ground club may return to the market for a winger and could opt for the tried and tested Traore.
He has plenty of Premier League experience, and his contract expires next summer. It’s a move that makes sense based on previous interest, however his form this term is certainly a worry.
In 12 matches across all competitions, he is without a goal and has managed just one assist.
Additionally, West Ham are said to be interested in acquiring the services of the 29-year-old.
Hammers boss Espirito Santo, who tried signing him for Forest in the summer, is a big fan of Traore. The pair previously worked together at Wolves, where they enjoyed a productive spell.
This, along with the fact that Traore would be able to remain in London by reuniting with Espirito Santo, likely put West Ham in the driving seat to secure his signature in January.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Nottingham Forest are among the clubs monitoring Myles Lewis-Skelly’s situation at Arsenal.
Everton and Fulham are also said to be interested in signing the 19-year-old left-back.
It comes off the back of Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel saying that the youngster needs more game time to be considered for his squad ahead of the World Cup next summer.
Lewis-Skelly was omitted from the most recent international squad after accumulating just three minutes in the Gunners’ last four Premier League matches since October’s internationals.
If he wants to reclaim his position in the squad, it looks as though he’ll need to secure a move away from the Emirates this winter, whether that be permanently or on a short-term loan.
Forest could offer him a way out, but do they really need him?
Neco Williams has been playing at left-back this season, and he has continued to impress in the role. The Wales international was named the club’s Player of the Month for October.
Samu Aghehowa (Porto)
A more recent name linked with a move to the City Ground is Samu Aghehowa.
The Porto youngster has been drawing interest from some of Europe’s elite, and it is now being reported that Forest, Tottenham, Arsenal and Newcastle are all tracking his progress in Portugal.
Aghehowa came close to joining Chelsea back in July 2024, but after failing his medical, he joined the 30-time Liga Portugal champions from LaLiga giants Atletico Madrid on a five-year deal.
It is reported that a €100m (£87m) release clause is included in his contract.
The 21-year-old Spaniard has registered nine goals and one assist in 14 appearances thus far this term, with his stock continuing to rise rapidly after his 27-goal season in 2024-25.
Securing his signature would be a major coup for the Reds, but with the likes of Spurs and Arsenal also interested, it’ll take some convincing to sway the youngster towards the City Ground.
