The January transfer window is almost upon us and speculation regarding who Nottingham Forest may or may not be in for is starting to build.
There will be plenty of gossip and rumour mongering, most of it nonsense, but further additions appear likely.
Having worked their way into the promotion picture, the Reds have established a platform on which to build.
With 17 players brought in over the summer, and with some sense of continuity important, no mass overhaul is required.
Karanka oversaw such moves 12 months ago, as eight fresh faces made their way through the doors at the City Ground, but minor tinkering is now the order of the day.
Opinion as to recruitment priorities will be divided, with everybody seeing things slightly differently.
There have been plenty of calls for a new goalkeeper, with Costel Pantilimon failing to convince many.
Would another No. 1, potentially on another short-term, stop-gap of a loan make that much difference?
With the likes of Danny Fox and Michael Dawson only weeks, rather than months away from making their respective returns from injury, are reinforcements in that area required?
If everybody is fit, and with Tobias Figueiredo back from suspension, isn’t there enough cover across the back four?
Having collected another clean sheet at Derby, Forest continue to boast the third-best defensive record in the Championship.
What they need – and this was highlighted again at Pride Park – is somebody to help turn cagey draws into narrow wins.
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Match-winners
Aitor Karanka already boasts match-winners of that ilk on his books, with the likes of Lewis Grabban, Joe Lolley and Joao Carvalho having fared admirably to this point.
There is, however, a sense that another injection of creative X Factor will carry the Reds close to the ultimate goal.
Take Carvalho, for instance.
The Portuguese is a fine player and the club’s record buy, and he is seeing plenty of football as a result.
There are occasions, though, where he can become a little lost or get bogged down in a battle which really doesn’t suit his game – such as the one played out at Pride Park.
In such instances, if Karanka were to have an ace up his sleeve, then a telling contribution could be made either from the bench or the start – depending on the demands of said contest.
Back in 2003, as Forest forced their way into the play-off pack, Nottingham native Darren Huckerby was acquired on loan from Manchester City.
He would deliver five goals in nine appearances and help to complement Marlon Harewood and David Johnson as Paul Hart’s side came as close as anybody to returning Premier League football to the banks of the Trent.
Doing a similar deal 16 years on will not be easy, but there will be options and they do not need to be in the jet-heeled Huckerby mould.
Leicester midfielder Andy King – without a single minute of first team football for the Foxes this season – has been mooted as a possible target (again) and could be the answer.
Vital commodity
He may be lacking match sharpness, but he ticks a lot of other boxes.
Experience of English football, something Carvalho is still picking up after being thrown in at the deep end, could be a vital commodity, while there is no doubting that King possesses the passing ability and eye for goal that would make him a shrewd addition.
This is, of course, getting back to the aforementioned conjecture and Karanka could have his sights set on any number of alternatives.
It could, however, be that attack, rather than defence, is the way forward in the winter window and if Forest can find another Huckerby, then they may be on to a winner.
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