Nottingham Forest have placed Josh Bowler back on their radar ahead of the transfer window closing, according to The Sun. The winger has been linked with the Reds since January when Forest tried to sign him from Blackpool.
The 23-year-old is also wanted by Bournemouth. Forest will hope that their ambitious summer can tempt Bowler into choosing the City Ground should he decide to leave his current club.
Bowler was picked up by Blackpool last summer. He was released by Premier League outfit Everton and found himself snapped up by Neil Critchley on a free transfer.
During 2021/22 he made 45 appearances, scoring eight goals and claiming three assists. The player also showcased a combative nature by collecting six yellow cards.
Bowler typically operates on the wing. Last season he played 13 times on the right and 13 on the left. Naturally, he’s left-footed and does boast an abundance of skill.
MORE FOREST STORIES
The youngster could be available for around £3 million this summer. Bowler will be out of contract at the end of the current campaign and the Tangerines won’t want to lose him for free.
Bowler started and played the full 90 minutes as Michael Appleton’s team got off to a good start, beating Reading 1-0 at Bloomfield Road in the Championship.
Forest are still on the lookout for more attacking quality. The Reds want more depth in the final third and ultimately they will target one or two more players for the attacking positions.
Forest place Bowler on radar and signing him is a no-brainer
The Reds need more quality in their attack. As a result, targeting Bowler makes perfect sense from a Forest perspective even if it’s to add some depth to the squad.
Forest have Brennan Johnson. He will be the club’s main man once again and he’s an exciting player for Steve Cooper to have in his Premier League squad.
Elsewhere, Alex Mighten has been used quite a lot in pre-season. It’s fair to say, however, that he could benefit from a loan spell, although right now he won’t be going anywhere.
Bowler is exciting in the extreme. He was brilliant when Blackpool came to the City Ground during 2021/22, although he was on the losing side that afternoon.
Forest will face competition for Bowler. At 23-years-old, he’d be an exciting addition to the squad and he could become a first-team regular in the future.