DEAL SPARKED!!!; Nottingham Forest question on Deadline “DEAL”

This window was about sensible and considered business for the Reds. And that continued right until the end. Now it is all done and dusted, they can reflect on what has generally been a positive summer.

Nuno’s squad has been strengthened. There is competition for places across the pitch and the Portuguese has the different “options and solutions” he craved.

Carlos Miguel, Eric da Silva Moreira, Alex Moreno, Ramon Sosa and Jota Silva all showed what they are capable of in Wednesday night’s cup tie against Newcastle United. Nikola Milenkovic and Elliot Anderson had already looked right at home before that.

Deadline day saw midfielder James Ward-Prowse and centre-back Morato added. The two deals sparked some debate among fans but both hardly fall into the “panic signing” bracket.

Ward-Prowse penned a season-long loan from West Ham United on the back of Danilo facing a few months on the sidelines with a broken ankle. Forest were well stocked in the centre of the pitch even without the former Southampton man but his free-kicks should still be worth a few extra points this term – particularly as set-pieces have been something of an Achilles’ heel for the Reds.

Morato, meanwhile, joins Milenkovic, Murillo, Willy Boly and Andrew Omobamidele as Nuno’s central defensive options. If the head coach wishes, he should have ample available to him to play with three at the back.

The big question mark surrounds whether Nuno has enough up front. Bringing in a striker was a priority for Forest going into deadline day, but this particular search has not been straightforward.

No shortage of forwards have been looked at. But the cut-off came and went without one being added.

It will fall on Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi to carry the Reds through, at least until January. The latter is still finding fitness after missing a chunk of pre-season and will need a confidence boost after his penalty miss against the Magpies in midweek.

Nuno has already shown he can get the best out of Wood, though. Forest also have plenty of other players capable of chipping in with goals, while Jota can step in as a striker.

And as the Portuguese himself would no doubt reason, better to go without certain positions being bolstered than being panicked into spending silly money or making a bad decision. There is a strong squad in place regardless; one with enough about it to push on in the Premier League this season.

Star men staying put only adds to that argument. Forest have kept hold of their prized assets – even reportedly rejecting a late attempt by Newcastle to snap up Anthony Elanga. As Nuno said right from the start of the window, the summer was as much about retaining key players as adding new ones.

The Reds have shown they mean business with the transfer deals done. Now it’s over to Nuno and the squad to back that up on the pitch. Forest transfer window rating: 8.5/10