Compared to last January it has been a relatively quiet deadline day for Nottingham Forest this time around.
Martin O’Neill has seen his squad bolstered by the signings of midfielder Pele and striker Léo Bonatini.
Two defenders should arrive tomorrow in the shape of Molla Wague and Alexander Milosevic, who according to the Nottingham Post, are likely to be confirmed as Forest players.
With Yohan Benalouane representing the only other piece of incoming business during January, it has proved relatively quiet on the whole.
One aspect that has proved most pleasing is that the Reds have managed to keep hold of their better players.
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Forest fans have seen it all before when it comes to transfer deadline day.
The infamous Fawaz Al-Hasawi would often promise the world and offer little other than the departure of a top player during the transfer window.
Oliver Burke, Michail Antonio and Jamaal Lascelles have all been offloaded close to deadlines; whether it be August or January.
Times appear to be changing
Ben Osborn was strongly linked with a move to Stoke City this window; Forest, however, were undeterred in their efforts to keep a player who has played over 200 times for the first-team.
According to the Daily Mail, a £3 million deal was close at one point today.
Osborn might Forest’s archetypal ‘Marmite’ player but £3 million would have frankly been daylight robbery.
Players are no longer seen as pound signs by the current board and that makes a refreshing change.
Instead, the right players were offloaded. The ones making the numbers up, there to kick their heels with no genuine chance of playing much football.
Jason Cummings went to Luton on loan and Zach Clough to Rochdale; whilst several of the club’s younger talents found perfect loan moves within the Football League.
Some fans might not be satisfied with the club’s incoming activity over the last month but there is no need to panic.
For the first time in years, Forest did some exceedingly good summer business and that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Silly season
The January transfer window is a tough one to negotiate.
This time around the Reds are ninth in the league and just four points away from the top six.
Forest didn’t need to go out and sign eight new players as they did this time last year; as the quality within the squad is far superior to that of 12 months ago.
Joe Lolley would walk into any side in the division and stays at Forest, Lewis Grabban is one of the Championship’s leading marksmen and stays at Forest; whilst the mesmerizing Joao Carvalho stays at Forest and he will hope for a chance to prove his worth to his new boss very soon.
Forest have shown on occasions this season that they can mix with the Championship’s best and the window shouldn’t dampen the optimism.