Why Nottingham Forest must sign £35m midfielder instead of Bergvall

Nottingham Forest have gained a reputation for being frantic and borderline erratic in the transfer market in their efforts to become a dominant force in the Premier League.

Evangelos Marinakis has spent a small fortune since the return to the top-flight in 2022, with many of the additions proving to make an impact at the City Ground.

However, the arrival of Oliver Glasner has seen a more controlled approach being taken in the window to land some of the Austrian’s key transfer targets.

Ousmane Diomande, Xaver Schlager and Steven Benda have all arrived this summer, but where else does the new manager need to strengthen ahead of his debut campaign?

Where Glasner still needs to strengthen Forest’s squad this summer

With just a couple of weeks remaining in the summer transfer window, it’s crucial the Forest hierarchy work efficiently to secure the signings Glasner craves.

After Taiwo Awoniyi’s departure to join Coventry City, a new centre-forward has become a priority for the Reds before the window slams shut in early September.

The likes of Liam Delap and Jean-Philippe Mateta have been touted with a move to the City Ground, with big money expected to be spent on a new talisman.

The right wing-back department is another which could be bolstered in the weeks ahead, as concerns have been raised about Ola Aina’s ability to operate in such a position.

Givairo Read appeared to be the club’s number one target in such an area, but interest has cooled in recent weeks, and it remains unclear if Glasner’s men will return another offer.

The third and final area which looks set to be improved this summer is the central midfield department, as the club look to soften the blow of Elliot Anderson’s £116m move to Manchester City.

James McAtee has featured in a deeper role throughout pre-season, but that’s not to suggest added reinforcements can’t be completed before the deadline.

How Forest can land a bigger talent than Bergvall

The latter of the aforementioned positions has been the biggest talking point amongst supporters this summer, which has seen Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall emerge as a potential addition.

The Swedish star could be set for a move away from North London after Roberto De Zerbi dropped over £180m on the signings of Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

Bergvall himself has even stated his desire to make a move this window, but the current £60m asking price placed on his head appears to be the biggest stumbling block.

As a result, other targets are continuing to be explored, leading to Barcelona ace Marc Casado once again being touted with a switch to the Premier League.

A report from Spanish outlet SPORT claims that Glasner’s men held talks with the LaLiga giants over the possibility of a move for the 22-year-old midfielder earlier in the summer and are now ready to re-open their discussions.

However, competition for his signature appears to be high, as the report also credits the likes of Benfica and Manchester United with an interest in the Spaniard.

Barça are said to be willing to allow the La Masia graduate to depart during the current window, but would want a fee in the region of €40m (£35m) to sanction a sale.

Such a transfer fee could prove to be a bargain for the Reds this summer, with Casado already having bags of crucial top-level experience despite his tender age.

He featured 24 times in Spain’s top-flight last campaign, helping Barca win the title, with his stats showcasing why he’s already a bigger talent than fellow target, Bergvall.

Casado completed an impressive average of 75 passes per 90 at a completion rate of 91% – with both tallies higher than those produced by the Swedish international.

The aforementioned figures also placed him above 90% of players in Europe’s top-five leagues – subsequently highlighting his phenomenal talent with the ball at his feet.

His talent in possession also stretched over to chance creation, as his tremendous passing range allowed him to create an impressive tally of 1.3 chances per 90.

Such a figure is also higher than that of Bergvall from the 2025/26 campaign, whilst also bettering 75% of deep-lying midfielders across the continent in such a regard.

Even without the ball, the Spaniard managed to impress, subsequently making 1.7 tackles and 3.8 ball recoveries per 90 for Hansi Flick’s title-winning side.

His box-to-box nature and confidence at both ends of the pitch could be vital in Glasner’s hopes of landing an elite-level operator before the end of the window.

There’s no denying Bergvall is a top talent and one who would improve the options at the City Ground – but given the mammoth difference in price, a deal for Casado should be a no-brainer.