Midfielder Ryan Yates is confident Nottingham Forest are starting to gel as a team following a summer overhaul.
After a tough run of results, the Reds have taken small, but no less important, forward steps in their last few games. That progress culminated in Saturday’s memorable 1-0 victory over Liverpool which brought an end to a run of nine Premier League matches without a win.
Forest put in their best performance of the season to see off Jurgen Klopp’s side, with Yates very much at the heart of it. And the Nigel Doughty Academy graduate believes there is plenty more to come, both individually and collectively, as he and his teammates adapt to life in the top-flight.
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Transfer bid?
Nottingham Forest are said to be in the running for highly-rated Brazilian youngster Pablo Maia.
The 20-year-old midfielder has impressed for Sao Paulo, bringing him to the attention of prospective suitors. And the Reds are reportedly ready to battle it out with Premier League rivals Fulham to secure his signature.
A price tag of about 10m euros (£8.7m) has been placed on Maia’s head, with his club seemingly ready to let him go if an offer reaches that amount. According to Brazilian media outlet LANCE! Fulham have already had an initial bid of 7.5m euros (£6.5m) rejected, with Sao Paulo waiting to see what Forest’s next step is.
It is claimed the Reds have indicated they “should make an offer” for Maia “in the coming days”. As a result, the Brazilian outfit “wants to wait and see” what is put forward from the City Ground.
Upcoming move
Incoming Nottingham Forest midfielder Gustavo Scarpa has opened up on his feelings ahead of completing his transfer to the City Ground.
Scarpa is due to sign for Forest in the new year, once his contract with Brazilian giants Palmeiras expires. In the meantime he is gunning for the league title, with the side ten points clear at the top of the table with five games to go.
With a baby also on the way, the 28-year-old has been dealing with a lot of emotions. However, he says that, with the help of skateboarding, he has been able to stay focused ahead of completing a "dream" move to England.
“It’s a weight of, if you play badly, people will say you don’t have your head here," he told UOL. "It was a conflict of emotions that I managed to deal with really well, thank god.
Unhappy 'target'
A January move is looking increasingly likely for Nottingham Forest-linked Ruslan Malinovskyi.
The Reds were credited with an interest in the Atalanta attacking midfielder during the summer as they underwent a squad revamp, following promotion to the Premier League. And the links have resurfaced since, while Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Marseille have also been mooted as potential suitors.
A 50m euros (roughly £44.6m) price tag had previously been a stumbling block to any deal. However, it is claimed his club would now be ready to sell the 29-year-old for a “reasonable amount” when the transfer window reopens, as the player is unhappy with his current situation.
Malinovskyi is under contract with the Serie A outfit until the summer, although it is said there is an agreement in place to extend that through to 2025. But he has struggled for regular game time this season, and Tutto Atalanta claim he is “not at all happy to remain in these conditions”.
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