Nottingham Forest will welcome a new manager to the City Ground during the summer and he will begin a squad rebuilding process.
Some of the club’s top earners are out of contract in the summer and it is likely that they will leave to give the manager some much needed funds with which to work in the transfer market.
The Reds will emerge from a transfer embargo during the summer, which will dictate that the club can sign players for fees and spend what they like on wages once more.
Regardless of who the incoming manager is, it will be imperative that they get it right next season. With Chris Cohen back from injury and striker Britt Assombalonga close to full fitness, there really will be no excuses for failure during next season.
Football League World writer Lee Clarke takes a look at three players who should come into the City Ground and three who should depart, during the summer months......
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE THREE IN, THREE OUT!
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Three in...
Gary Gardner
Nottingham Forest’s new manager, whoever it might be, must do all they can to ensure an offer is made for current loan player Gary Gardner, following a string of fine displays.
The Aston Villa midfielder has been in great form for the Reds and has picked up where he left off during a similar spell with the Reds last season.
With his parent club destined for the Sky Bet Championship too, it could be a chance for Gardner to show what he can do at Villa Park, nonetheless the Reds must enquire about the central midfielder’s availability.
The 23-year-old could be a mainstay in the Forest midfield for several years to come and the permanent signing of such a player would be a real statement of intent.
Jack Payne
The little Southend United midfielder has been in fantastic form of late and several Championship clubs have been alerted to his contract situation.
The 21-year-old looks a star in the making and Forest could really do with the little bit of flair that Payne would inevitably bring to the side.
Having risen through the youth academy at Roots Hall, Payne has played 71 times for the first-team and netted 15 goals, with his most recent in Wednesday night’s 3-1 win over Sheffield United.
Payne would only cost a fee which would be determined at a tribunal and he wouldn’t break the bank in the way of wages either.
Jed Steer
The 23-year-old Norwich City youngster has been performing impeccably well for Huddersfield Town in the Sky Bet Championship, since arriving initially in September.
The commanding goalkeeper has made 29 appearances between the posts for the Terriers and is a solid all-round custodian at Sky Bet Championship level.
During Huddersfield’s 2-0 win at the City Ground back in February, Steer was in fine form and at one point was coming to pluck balls out of the sky on the penalty spot such was his presence inside the penalty area.
It is unsure whether Norwich would be keen to sell a player with an undoubted bright future ahead of him but a loan move could be worth pursuing.
Three out...
Robert Tesche
The German midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and as he is among the highest earners at the club, it would make perfect sense not to renew his contract.
Whilst the former Hamburg man isn’t a bad player by any means, he simply lets too many games pass him by, without having any influence on them.
The 28-year-old operates in a position where Forest are already pretty well stocked up and his wages could be invested in other areas of the squad.
Dexter Blackstock
The 29-year-old has given Nottingham Forest seven years loyal service but the time is right for all ties to be severed between the two parties.
Blackstock isn’t the player he used to be any more. He isn’t the effective target man that used to work in formidable tandem with Robert Earnshaw and at times he offers very little for the team these days.
The striker could certainly still do a job in the lower reaches of the Championship or at a club in League One and there is little doubt that his career will continue somewhere.
Kelvin Wilson
The former Celtic central defender is another player who will see his current contract expire at the end of the season and with no talks forthcoming, it is likely that he will move on.
Wilson has made 44 appearances for Forest during his second spell with the club but having played very little football during the current campaign he will seemingly look elsewhere.
Forest have a wealth of decent Championship quality central defenders in Matt Mills, Michael Mancienne and Jack Hobbs and Wilson departing would allow one of the younger lads such as Joe Worrall to make a claim to be fourth choice centre-half.