Nottingham Forest secured a crucial 2-1 victory over West Ham United in last night’s Premier League clash, marking a significant turning point in their 2025/26 campaign.
After falling behind, Sean Dyche’s side made a remarkable comeback, opening up a seven-point lead over the Hammers. While the win was vital, the performance raised concerns about the team’s attacking prowess and the need for reinforcements before the end of the transfer window.
Forest’s goals against West Ham came from a header by Nicolas Dominguez and a penalty by Morgan Gibbs-White, both not from open play. This lack of creativity upfront has prompted the club to explore options for a new center-forward, with Jorgen Strand Larsen and Lorenzo Lucca emerging as potential targets.
The pursuit of Larsen, currently at Wolves, comes with a hefty price tag of £40 million, while Lucca, on loan at Napoli, presents a more complex negotiation due to his temporary deal. Nonetheless, both players could offer the goal-scoring threat Forest desperately need following Chris Wood’s injury woes.
Wood, the club’s leading scorer last season, has struggled with fitness this term, leaving Dyche to rely on alternatives like Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awoniyi. Despite the arrival of Arnaud Kalimuendo in the summer, the team’s goal-scoring deficiencies have persisted, underscoring the urgency of signing a prolific striker like Lucca.
While Lucca’s current goal record might not impress, his underlying stats speak to his potential as a clinical finisher. With a high shot on target rate and impressive passing accuracy, the Italian forward could be the missing piece in Forest’s attacking puzzle, providing the link-up play and goal threat they have been lacking.
