nottingham forest Working towards goals during the 2025/26 season Premier League This game undoubtedly put the club into a relegation battle.

Sean DycheThe team has scored just 24 goals in 24 league games so far, with attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White the current top scorer with 6 goals.

No centre-forward has scored more than two league goals this season, with last season’s talisman Chris Wood still out injured after undergoing knee surgery.

Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi have scored just three top-flight goals combined, further confirming the issues the manager has had to contend with since taking over.

Lorenzo Luca has been brought into the City Ground in an attempt to improve the situation, but the Italian is not the only attacker they are keeping an eye on in January.

How close are Nottingham Forest to signing Mata?

Forest identify Crystal Palace star as they look to bring in another centre-forward this winter Jean-Philippe Matata as a possible option to improve the team.

The Frenchman expressed his desire to leave Selhurst Park in January, leading the 28-year-old to even hand in a transfer request to help force a move.

As a result, the Red Army The price quoted is approximately £35 million In recognition of his services, such an offer would be just shy of the estimated £40m valuation of Oliver Glasner’s side.

Mateta even agreed personal terms with Dyche’s men over the transfer until AC Milan burst into the fray and took the lead and agreed to transfer his services.

The player even traveled to the Italian side for a medical, but the transfer failed to materialize after a knee injury was discovered during the medical.

Former Forest striker leaves with more goals than Matata

Given the huge rumors of additional attacking reinforcements in January, the Forest faithful will no doubt be disappointed by the lack of additions within the final third.

Luka is yet to make his debut at the City Ground but his lack of Premier League experience certainly makes him a dangerous addition to the squad during the winter.

It remains to be seen whether the Italian will become a regular starter under Dyche or whether the manager will insist on Jesus providing help in front of goal.

Mateta will undoubtedly become an upgraded version of the striker. The Frenchman has already scored 8 league goals in the 2025/26 season.

However, given the form in which former striker Sam Saric has left the City Ground in recent years, it could be a mistake for the club to allow him to leave the East Midlands.

The Englishman has made a total of 50 appearances for the Reds since joining from Stoke City in the January 2022 transfer window for £2 million.

The 27-year-old has scored 11 goals in 18 months in the East Midlands and has regularly contributed to the Reds’ return to the Premier League.

However, he was often seen as a bit player under Steve Cooper during the club’s first season back in the top flight, before joining MLS side Nashville SC in 2023 for £5 million.

Saric has since gone on to make 88 appearances for the American club, scoring 51 goals before showing off his impressive ability in front of goal.

In his most recent season in Major League Soccer (MLS), the 27-year-old scored 31 goals in 40 games, second only to the iconic Lionel Messi.

Saric’s price tag has reached astronomical figures since leaving the City Ground, and the club’s mistake in letting him leave was subsequently exposed.

With Mateta netting just 22 times in the past 18 months, the former Forest star has netted a further nine goals as he displays his clinical edge in MLS. He’s so smart Teammate Daniel Lovitz cheers him on He was deemed “a very dangerous opponent” after scoring a hat-trick in the 3-2 win over New England Revolution.

There’s no doubt he’s shown the goalscoring talent needed to lift the Reds out of their current predicament, and the hierarchy undoubtedly undermined their decision to let him go.

Considering his recent performances in the United States, £5m now looks like a very cheap fee and their loss could cost them again at the end of the season.

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