Nottingham Forest look set for a busy end of the summer, as Steve Cooper’s side brace themselves for transfer deadline day on Friday.
The Reds have already welcomed six players this window, however, recent reports have linked another attacking talent to the City Ground with changes expected in the time remaining in the market.
Both ingoings and outgoings have been rumoured with reference to Forest, with clubs in the Premier League eyeing the talent on show in Cooper’s squad.
What is the latest on Nottingham Forest’s transfer situation?
According to a report via The Athletic, Brentford Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are interested in forward Brennan Johnson, who is said in the report to be valued by the Reds around £45m.
Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed this week that the Bees have “left” conversations regarding the Welshman, with Spurs said to have “already held positive talks” with the player.
Whether it be this window or later, it looks as though Johnson’s future at the City Ground could be in doubt, leaving question marks over who could replace him.
One name that has emerged as a forward Forest could target is Anderlecht winger Francis Amuzu, who according to Dutch outlet Het Nieuwsblad (as relayed by Get Belgian & Dutch Football News), is of interest to the Premier League side and Olympiacos.
The report claims that both parties are offering a fee of €6m (£5m) for the 24-year-old, who is said to be valued between €8/9m (£7m) by the Belgian side.
Who is Francis Amuzu?
With the ability to play in a host of areas in the front line, Amuzu could be the ideal acquisition for Cooper to target should Johnson depart.
The Belgian is deployed primarily on the left flank, however can be fielded on the right side too, with his strengths identified by scouting site Total Football Analysis as his ‘balance and agility’.
A right-footed player, the 24-year-old is said to have the ability to ‘attack on the inside or outside’ of the opposition by Total Football Analysis, suggesting the havoc he could cause on the flank in Cooper’s set-up.
Last season, the “quality” Ghana-born dynamo, as lauded by his former Anderlecht boss Vincent Kompany, contributed to 11 goals in the league, scoring three and assisting eight, following on from his impressive form the campaign prior.
In 2021/22, the versatile winger netted five goals and registered four league assists, as well as playing a pivotal role in the Belgian league’s Champions' play-offs, where he scored four goals in six games.
For Forest, it’s integral that should Johnson leave, the Reds can replace him with a player of similar calibre due to the impact he has in the squad and the gap that could be left in the instance of his departure.
Last term, the Welshman mirrored Amuzu’s tally of eight goal contributions scoring eight and assisting three in the Premier League, as well as averaging similarly to the Belgian in terms of his approach to play.
As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old averaged 0.9 successful dribbles per game in last season, identical to the average of Forest’s reported target who averaged 0.9 in the Belgian Pro League.
A player of a similar playing style and dynamic to Johnson, Cooper could ease the potential blow of losing the City Ground star by making a move for the Belgian, who could bring an added threat to the attack in his absence.
