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Nottingham Forest could make the free agent market play to their advantage to comply with Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules once more.
Nuno Espirito Santo has already welcomed five recruits this summer with Elliot Anderson, Nikola Milenkovic, Marko Stamenic, Carlos Miguel and Eric da Silva Moreira having already penned deals.
More arrivals could be expected at the City Ground as the Portuguese manager looks to steer the Reds away from another dreaded relegation battle.
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Below is a list of free agents Nottingham Forest could sign:
Joel Matip
The former Liverpool man departed Anfield due to his contract expiring in June and is currently without a club. Forest are relatively well stocked in this area with Murillo, Andrew Omobamidele, Joe Worrall, Willy Boly, and new signing Nikola Milenkovic sharing defensive responsibilities. However - with Murillo attracting interest - Matip could be a risk-free alternative at a cheap price given his situation. With 150 Premier League appearances and a League title to his name, he would bring experience to the squad which could help younger players develop.
Alex Claude-Maurice
The France youth international is currently without a club after exiting Ligue 1 side Nice at the end of his contract in June. As a youngster, he showed promise securing selection for France from Under-17 to Under-21 age groups but has never made the grade at senior level. An attacking midfielder by trade would provide backup for Morgan Gibbs-White in what promises to be a grueling fixture schedule once again. At 26, this transfer would be both low-cost and risk-free for a player who is still yet to reach the level expected of him - although there is still plenty of signs to be positive about.
Kelechi Iheanacho
The player has been linked with Forest as reported by Nottinghamshire Live earlier today. The Nigerian burst onto the scene in 2015 with some astute performances at Manchester City but could never get ahead of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero in the pecking order which led to his transfer to Leicester. Since arriving at the King Power he has struggled to find the net consistently registering double figures just once in seven seasons. However, with the player used to living in the East Midlands, this would make sense for him if he wants to remain in the Premier League. He would join his compatriots Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi at the City Ground.
Memphis Depay
The former Manchester United man is currently a free agent after leaving Atletico Madrid in June. He was still a mainstay in the Netherlands side that reached the semi-final of UEFA Euro 2024 but finds himself without a club despite scoring 5 La Liga goals in 23 appearances in the Spanish capital. He has endured unsuccessful stints at Barca and Atleti since rekindling his career at Olympique Lyonnais between 2017 and 2021. He may want to prove himself in Europe’s elite division and Forest could be a viable option as they are light in the attacking midfield position - however, wages are likely to be a stumbling block if this were to occur.
Andre Gomes
The ex-Everton man suffered a string of injuries during his time at Goodison Park but was an effective ball-playing midfielder in full flow and would be an experienced head with Premier League knowhow if he was to join Forest. He joined Everton from Barcelona in 2019 - loaned to Everton in 2018 - and stood out early in his Toffees career but sustained a serious ankle/leg injury against Spurs in 2019 which kept him sidelined for over 12 months. He also enjoyed a fruitful loan spell at Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille in the 2022/23 season. He was reported to be one of Everton’s highest earners so a deal may be possible if the 30-year-old is willing to take a cut in wages.
Yusuf Yazici
The Turkish international exited LOSC Lille in June and is currently without a club. At 27, he is approaching his peak and could be a target for Forest if they were to dip into the free-agent market this summer. He impressed in his native Turkey between 2015 and 2019 which earned him a move to Lille for a reported fee of £15m - the highest transfer revenue in the Trabzonspor’s history. He struggled to make a telling impact at Lille and was loaned to CSKA Moscow in 2021 - once impressed with eight goals in 10 games scoring in each of his first four games in the Russian Capital. Despite CSKA wanting to make the deal permanent a deal never materialised, so he returned to Lille. Last season he registered seven goal involvements in 27 appearances. He could provide proficient back-up to Morgan Gibbs-White if a move was to happen.