A striker has been the top priority for Nottingham Forest throughout the January window but with just hours to go until the deadline, transfer guru David Ornstein has delivered an update.
Taiwo Awoniyi is the current backup for Chris Wood but has not delivered in terms of goals under Nuno Espirito Santo, even leading to Everton taking a look at Awoniyi in the final days of the window.
Regardless of the future of Awoniyi, though, Evangelos Marinakis made a striker his January priority at Forest, with Matheus Cunha being named as Forest’s top target for the transfer window.
Yoane Wissa was also linked with Forest as a potential striker option as the Congolese forward boasted comparable scoring statistics to Wood throughout his time at Brentford, but that deal looked difficult for the Forest owner from the outset.
That left Espirito Santo going into deadline day the striker position still ready to be filled as Wissa especially remained attainable for Forest at the right price. Whether or not Forest will pursue a striker in the final hours of the window may have just been revealed by the ever-reliable Ornstein.
David Ornstein deals definitive Nottingham Forest striker update
The journalist must be tired of transfer rumours at this point but with mere hours left until the 11 pm deadline, Ornstein was quizzed on The Athletic’s DealSheet show about Forest’s approach to bringing players to the City Ground in January so far.
He said: “They [Forest] have been looking at options over the course of the window, they were linked in some quarters with Matheus Cunha which showed it was a consideration.
“I just think things have settled down under the Marinakis ownership. There was heavy investment at the start and it felt at times a bit chaotic and that there wasn’t much method to the madness but this season has suggested that’s not the case.
When pushed on specifics regarding a striker, Ornstein echoed his previous sentiment, saying: “I’m not aware of Forest looking to do anything in that position [striker] before the deadline.”
No doubt a blow to any Forest fans who were keenly anticipating a deadline day deal, but it seems undeniable that Marinakis will return for a striker in the summer.
Nottingham Forest will have eyes on a summer move for a striker
Marinakis has promised Nuno Espirito Santo a cash boost should Forest qualify for European football this season, with the majority of that extra bounty likely to go on a forward.
The evidence can be found in the actions of the club in January as Forest were preparing a club-record bid for Cunha before the Brazilian signed a new contract at Wolves.
However, Cunha will be available for £62.5m in the summer which will undoubtedly tempt the Forest owner back in for another round of talks with Wolves to land his top forward target.
It is believed that Yoane Wissa would cost Forest £40m if Marinakis were to go back in for him in the summer, a significantly lower fee than that for Cunha but one that would still represent a significant outlay for Marinakis.
Throughout the January window, it was said that Awoniyi could leave Forest if another striker was signed, it remains to be seen if that policy remains the same in the summer but regardless, it seems in no doubt that the club will once again be looking for extra goals in the transfer window.
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