Steve Cooper sets out Nottingham Forest transfer…

Steve Cooper sets out Nottingham Forest transfer priority as deadline day approaches

Boss Steve Cooper wants to use the final fortnight of the transfer window to ensure Nottingham Forest have sufficient strength in depth in every position.

A summer spending spree will see Morgan Gibbs-White become the 16th new arrival at the City Ground, subject to passing a medical. The Wolverhampton Wanderers attacking midfielder is set to put pen to paper on what will be a club record deal, for an initial £25m outlay.

And the Reds are still not finished. Incomings and outgoings are likely before the September 1 deadline.

A dressing room overhaul was always going to be necessary following promotion, both to strengthen and as a result of a significant number of key players leaving. But by the time the window closes, Cooper wants to ensure he has enough quality to avoid having to use square pegs in round holes - as was the case last season, when midfielder Jack Colback filled in at left-back when Max Lowe was injured.

Speaking before news of Gibbs-White broke, Cooper said when asked if the first two games of the Premier League season had altered his remaining transfer plans: “No, not really. We knew that we needed to change the squad, because we had no alternative.

“But also, for example, what Jack did last year, in playing out of position - I know he did a brilliant job for us because he’s a thoughtful lad - but I don’t really think you should be doing that in the Premier League unless you have to, unless you have an injury crisis or something else. Touch wood that doesn’t happen.

“We want to make sure we have the right challenge and the right depth for every position. I don’t want any player thinking they are definitely going to play in the next game; I want them to feel that they’ve got to train really well to get a place in the team.

.“A lot of the stuff that we’ve done is catch-up; catch-up to certainly the other two teams who have come up with us. If we maybe need to do some more that can help us improve again, then hopefully we’ll be able to do it. It will be ins and outs now.”

Getting the balance of the squad right remains key for the Reds, with Cooper placing as much emphasis on character profile as a player’s quality. He has also been keen to bring in some players with knowledge of the top-flight, to help those without that kind of experience.

“We’ve got to have a good mixture of people coming into the Premier League for the first time, with the wonder of what it’s like and dealing with it head on,” he said, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Everton. “And also, in and around it, a little bit of calmness - people saying, ‘okay, have a think about this, because I’ve been here before’. You need a bit of both, really.”

What transfer business would you still like to see at Forest? Have your say in the comments below

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