nottingham forest There are still several months to come Sean Dyche Urgent need to avoid Premier League Downgraded at the end of May.

The Reds have lost six times in England’s top flight since taking over from Angie Postecoglou at the end of October, but are still on the right side of the dotted line.

His side currently lead West Ham by six points with 14 games remaining ahead of Friday night’s crucial clash with Leeds United at Elland Road.

With the transfer window not closing until the summer, Dyche will not be able to add to his squad at the City Ground, but the recruitment team did sign three talented players.

Luka Netz, Lorenzo Luka and Stefan Ortega have all arrived in the East Midlands but this appears to be a case of leaving the Reds on deadline day.

Nottingham Forest fail in deadline day move for Celtic player Arne Engels

Heading into the final day of the transfer window, Forest are looking for a new midfielder to provide further depth and quality to the core of Dyche’s side.

Countless names have been mentioned throughout the transfer window, with Inter Milan star Davide Fratesi just one of the players who looks almost certain to move to the City Ground.

However, despite agreeing an agreement with the Italian club, the player himself is unsure about the move, leading to rumors surrounding a possible move for the Celtic star Arne Engels.

The Belgian, who has made 37 appearances this season, was offered £14m in the final 24 hours of the transfer window, but the move was summarily dismissed by the Scottish side.

Such an offer was just the beginning of a saga, with Celtic boss Martin O’Neill claiming he would only leave Celtic Park if an offer of £100m was made.

Despite what his boss said, Forest further tested the 22-year-old’s resolve to sign his signature, Make two more bids before the window slammed shut.

The final bid totaled £25m including add-ons, but like the previous two offers, the offer was rejected – and Engels was forced to stay in Scotland until the summer at the earliest.

However, the player himself is now said to be frustrated that a move to Nottingham failed to materialise, which could once again open the door to a summer move.

the forest’s own engels

Forest have done an excellent job of strengthening the midfield department over the past few years and have subsequently supplied a host of top talent to various managers.

Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare are the current first-choice partnership in midfield, and given their current form, the current duo is arguably undispensable.

The former of the two has developed into one of the hottest properties in England this season, as evidenced by rumors linking him with a £100m move in the summer transfer window.

As for the Ivorian, he has endured a tricky start to life in Nottingham, which led to many fans resenting him after the board splashed out £35m to sign him in 2023.

Dyche’s side have won just one of five games during his away trip to the Africa Cup of Nations, underscoring his current importance to the first-team squad.

There are many other top talents emerging in the field, including: Nicholas Dominguez Another player who has flourished since moving to the East Midlands.

The Argentinian joined the club from Bologna for £8m in the same summer as Sangare and the 27-year-old has certainly exceeded all expectations in a deal after Steve Cooper brought him to the club.

Since his subsequent move, he has made 89 appearances in all competitions, even playing a slightly unnatural role – but one he has adapted to.

Dominguez has started to play on the left in recent weeks and his work rate and ability off the ball was undoubtedly a big factor in his selection.

He has traveled further than any other Forest player in the Premier League this season and his relentless pressure on the manager without the ball at his feet is a huge asset.

The Argentine also won more possessions in the final third than any other senior player in the squad, reaffirming his incredible ability on the ball – leading one journalist to label him “Outstanding“.

Despite his diminutive stature, the midfielder also contributed to the Reds’ attacking line-up in 2025/26, scoring the equalizer in the win over West Ham United and subsequently doing so in remarkable fashion.

His near post shot sailed perfectly into the far corner of the net and his effort sealed victory for the Reds in a crucial bottom-of-the-table tie.

Due to his recent impressive performances. Dominguez’s market cap has soared in FootballTransfers over the past few months He is now valued at £20.2m.

This figure is a £12m increase on the signing fee paid for him a few years ago and really highlights the excellent recruitment the club has done in the market.

The figure is also higher than Engels’ target on deadline day, with the Belgian valued at just £9.5m despite high bids for his services in recent days.

It’s clear that Dyche and the board want to add reinforcements at the heart of the squad, but Engels’ move certainly feels like a last-minute panic buy.

It remains to be seen whether the failure to bring in new midfielders will cost the Reds at the end of the season, with the possibility of relegation still looming.

However, if Dominguez can stay fit between now and the end of the season, there’s no reason why the Reds can’t win a fifth consecutive top-flight title in 2026/27.

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