This article is part of Football League World's 'The Verdict' series, which provides personal opinions from the FLW writers regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Nottingham Forest confirmed the signing of defensive midfielder Cafu on a season-long loan deal from Olympiacos on transfer deadline day.

The 27-year-old has plied his trade in France and Poland, joining the Greek top-flight side in January.

It's no secret that Forest have bolster their squad heavily this summer as Lamouchi aims to guide the Reds to promotion this term, after falling short last season in dramatic fashion.

So, what do you make of the signing of Cafu for Forest? Was he needed?

The team here at FLW have their say....

Toby Wilding

Much like a good deal of Nottingham Forest's business this summer, it is hard to know exactly what to make of it.

It does seem strange that they continue to recruit into what is an already large squad, and it is now another player that needs to be integrated into a squad that is struggling to find its feet at all this season anyway.

Indeed, it also seems strange that the club continue to recruit amid the speculation surrounding manager Sabri Lamouchi, and you wonder what impact, if any, this will have on who occupies dugout at The City Ground going forward.

That being said, the player himself may still turn out to be a useful signing, although the fact that he has already flitted about Europe for several years, without ever really managing to establish himself at any one club, does perhaps generate some cause for concern in that sense.

 

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Ned Holmes

You've got to say the main thing that strikes you concerning this deal is do they need him?

Forest have already got a very large squad and a number of quality holding midfielders to choose from, so I can't really see the logic in signing another.

You've got to assume that they're expecting to offload at least one before the window closes but even so this move seems mystifying to me.

That's not to suggest Cafu won't be a success at Forest but more that they didn't need to improve on a stable of defensive midfielders that already includes the likes of Jack Colback, Harry Arter and Samba Sow.

Strange business, in my eyes.

Jacob Potter

This simply wasn't needed.

Plenty of Nottingham Forest supporters have already called for the club to play a more attacking style of football, and so this doesn't make much sense to me.

The Reds have a number of options available to them in central midfield already, and if anything, it's the one area that didn't need anymore players to compete for a starting spot in.

I'm not doubting that Cafu is a solid addition in terms of his ability, but like I say, they didn't need another central defensive midfielder.

Forest would have been better investing their money into other areas of their squad before the summer transfer window closes.

You also have to consider the fact that they need to shift out the 'deadwood', as Cafu's wages will only add to a hefty wage bill at the City Ground.