Nottingham Forest sit in a very promising position in the Sky Bet Championship table, as we prepare to head into the third international break of the campaign.

The Reds have made a hugely impressive start to the season under Sabri Lamouchi, and certainly look like finishing right in the midst of the promotion mixer come the end of the season.

After defeating arch rivals Derby County by a goal to nil at the weekend, Forest sit three points off the automatic promotion places, with a game in hand on the teams above them.

With the January transfer window looming, Lamouchi will be using this break to cast one eye on potential transfer targets, who will help bolster their push for promotion to the top-flight.

If the Reds are to add fresh faces to their squad, then getting rid of players and freeing up the wage bill will be beneficial in doing so, and plenty of players are expected to leave in the winter.

Here, we take a look at three players who should be using this international break as a chance to reconsider their future at the City Ground.

Costel Pantilimon

Pantilimon was a regular for Forest last season under both Aitor Karanka and Martin O'Neill, making 44 appearances in all competitions.

But the Romanian shot-stopper currently faces an uncertain future on Trentside, having failed to be named in a single matchday squad this season.

With Brice Samba establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the division, and Aro Muric being viewed as second-choice, Pantilimon is extremely surplus to requirements under Lamouchi.

With another year left on his deal, he needs to start looking to move away from the East Midlands.

Claudio Yacob

Forest have so many quality options to choose from in the middle of the park, with the likes of Ben Watson, Tiago Silva, Ryan Yates and Samba Sow all impressing under the watchful eye of Lamouchi this term.

This, then, leaves it practically impossible for Claudio Yacob to make an impact this season, with the Argentine midfielder looking likely to leave the City Ground in January.

The 32-year-old made 17 appearances for the Reds last season, but similarly to Pantilimon, he is yet to feature in a matchday squad since Lamouchi arrived in the summer.

There are far too many similar players in the squad that possess the same attributes as Yacob, so he needs to decide whether he needs to work extra hard to force his way into Lamouchi's plans or exit in January.

Michael Hefele

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Hefele is currently fighting hard to make a full return from a lengthy spell on the sidelines through injury, but his future on Trentside looks unlikely.

The German arrived at the City Ground on a free transfer from Huddersfield last summer, but was only a bit-part player under Karanka last term.

Hefele - who made 18 appearances last season - was wanted out of the door by Karanka, according to reports, just a matter of months after being signed by the Spaniard.

With so many talented defenders ahead of him the pecking order, Hefele should explore other options sooner rather than later.