Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has hinted at the Premier League club’s readiness to make new signings in the January transfer window.
Forest have a depleted squad with Senegal duo Cheikhou Kouyate and Moussa Niakhate, Ivory Coast full-back Serge Aurier on the sidelines amongst others.
Kouyate suffered a torn hamstring in Senegal’s World Cup opening game against the Netherlands, while Niakhate is yet to play for the Reds’ since their 1-0 win over West Ham United in August.
The void created by the African stars’ absence is set to make Cooper delve into the transfer market from January 1 after signing 22 players just before the start of the season.
“Like every club we will be looking at what we think may be possible and right to do. There is more interest in what we do because of last summer and the numbers and the turnaround but we can’t pay attention to that,” Cooper was quoted by BBC Sport.
“We have to deal with the here and now and treat the transfer window for what it is and that is an opportunity to strengthen and improve the squad if that is what we need to do.
“What’s worth saying with us is unfortunately we’ve picked up a long-term injury at the World Cup with Cheikhou [Kouyate], Moussa Niakhate is not back with us and then there is Omar Richards. They are players we hoped would have been close to returning by now.
“So we have to take all that into account and just because we had a busy summer transfer window doesn’t mean we can’t do anything in this window.”
Forest are fresh from a 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers in the Carabao Cup fourth round and they will face Manchester United for their Premier League match on Tuesday.
The East Midlands outfit occupy the 18th spot in the Premier League table, one point above 17th-placed Everton.
