The play-offs appear to have slipped away from Nottingham Forest in the past few weeks, with a poor run of form under former boss Mark Warburton resulting in the loss of the former Brentford and Rangers manager’s job.

Aitor Karanka is the new man at the helm, and the Spaniard will hope to turn this talented young squad into promotion chasers next season with a few quality additions and a solid implementation of his training methods.

Promotion may be off the cards this year, but Karanka will focus his attentions upon securing a solid top half finish in his first six months in charge, and building for the future will be his primary goal for the season.

Utilising the current transfer window before it slams shut in the coming days should be a priority, and Karanka must targets these last-ditch deals…

 

Adam Clayton

Karanka’s first piece of business has to be a raid on his former club Middlesbrough, with Clayton sure to be seeking a new talent having been used sparingly in the north east this semester.

A regular under the Spaniard during his tenure, Clayton would surely jump at an opportunity to reunite with his former gaffer, and would certainly become an instrumental cog in this Reds side.

The 29-year-old still has many years left in the tank, and with David Vaughn approaching the end of his career, the player could prove to be the perfect replacement for the Welshman.

If Karanka can get a deal tied up this month, Forest will look the part for next season.

 

Jaime Mata

The Valladolid striker has been in exceptional form in the Spanish second tier, bagging a phenomenal twenty-one goals already this year.

One of the deadliest strikers on the peninsula this semester, clubs from across Europe will be eyeing a move for the experienced forward, who could be keen to move to England and work under a Spanish boss.

The Spanish second tier is inferior in quality to the Championship, but the amount of times Mata has found the net this season will surely translate to the English game.

Forest have a lot of quality, but a striker is something they are lacking, and if Karanka can pull this deal off and allows Mata to spend the next six months settling, the goals could come in abundance when the new campaign kicks off in August.

Forest fans, let us know your thoughts!