Nottingham Forest are eyeing a move for Red Bull Salzburg striker Noah Okafor in their quest to strengthen their forward area, according to Nau.ch.
The 22-year-old was a standout player for the Austrian outfit during the 2021/22 season, recording nine goals and nine assists in the country’s top tier and even scoring three times in the Champions League.
His form has also attracted interest from neighbours Germany, with Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig all reported to have been interested in recruiting the forward in the past after seeing him excel.
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And Forest are the latest side to have him on their radar with Steve Cooper’s side in desperate need of improving their forward department in the coming months, something they failed to do sufficiently during last summer’s window.
The additions of Keinan Davis and Sam Surridge in January went a long way in ensuring the East Midlands outfit remained in the promotion mix during the latter stages of the season – but Davis has returned to parent side Aston Villa and both Lewis Grabban and Lyle Taylor may not be at the City Ground either next term.
Already being linked with Artem Dovbryk and a return for Davis recently, the Reds are seemingly focused on ensuring they have enough firepower for their Premier League return in August.
The Verdict:
This would be a great signing for Forest considering his goal contributions record and he would certainly fit into their vision of recruiting younger players, so it’s a move you could certainly see them pursue.
However, his contract doesn’t expire until 2024 and whilst they may potentially be open to selling him, they will have the power to demand a considerable fee for his services, a price tag that may force the Reds out of the race.
They may have more to spend this summer because of their promotion – but they need to strengthen many other areas too and this is why they can’t afford to blow the vast majority of their budget on recruiting new strikers.
Addressing this area is important – but they desperately need some options at left wing-back and will need a central midfielder or two to fill the void James Garner has left if the Manchester United academy graduate doesn’t return to the City Ground.
If they can recruit 22-year-old Okafor for a reasonable price though, he could be a decent addition as a man who’s able to play up top and on the wing, providing Cooper with different tactical options.
