Nottingham Forest manager Sabri Lamouchi will be looking to invest in his squad during the rest of the transfer window, to help the Reds find some extra quality for their promotion challenge.

The Reds have managed to recover from a dip in form during the start of December which saw them go four matches without a win to slide out of the play-off places, but four wins from their subsequent five league games has lifted Forest back up into the top six and got their promotion bid back on track.

Lamouchi will now be hoping that he can bring in some reinforcements this month, especially in the attacking third with the Reds at times lacking in creativity in the final third – and they have now been linked with a potential move for Sheffield United’s Luke Freeman who has found game time limited so far this season since making the move from QPR in the summer.

Here them, we take a look at TWO potential knock on effects at Nottingham Forest if they secure Freeman’s signature…

Joao Carvalho being allowed to leave the club

Were Forest to bring Freeman into the club, it would seem that he would be an ideal potential replacement for Carvalho, who has been linked with a move away from the City Ground this month, after being in and out of the starting line-up so far this campaign under Lamouchi.

Carvalho has not managed to offer the same levels of creativity in the final third for the Reds as he was able to produce last season, when he registered four goals and eight assists in 38 appearances, but this term he has so far managed just a single goal and assist in 17 Championship matches.

The 22-year-old has been unable to establish himself as the Reds’ main option on the number ten position, and has at times been moved out to the left-hand side when he has started, which suggests that a move for a player capable of playing in that position like Freeman could see Forest allow Carvalho to leave the club.

QUIZ: Can you name these 18 ex-Nottingham Forest players?

John Bostock falling further down the pecking order

One player whose first team chances at Forest could be affected by any potential move for Freeman would be Bostock, who has already found it difficult to establish himself as a regular in the Reds’ midfield since he arrived at the City Ground in the summer.

The 27-year-old has been limited to just three appearances so far in the Championship, with the likes of Tiago Silva, Ben Watson, Alfa Semedo and Samba Sow all ahead of him in the midfield pecking order, and if the Reds did add Freeman to their squad it would add another player to the squad who could keep Bostock out of the side.

That suggests that it could be time for Forest to consider allowing Bostock to leave the club this month, were they to bring Freeman in from QPR, which could allow the midfielder to go and secure regular minutes elsewhere during the rest of the campaign.