How Glasner could discover his next Mateta at Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest supporters are starting to get excited about life under Oliver Glasner and understandably so given his immediate impact at the City Ground.

The Austrian has already implemented his 3-4-2-1 philosophy, with the Reds already starting to play free-flowing attacking football – as seen against Brest last Sunday.

He spoke about the desire to add extra bodies to his squad before the September transfer deadline, with around three new arrivals expected in the coming weeks.

However, his appointment in the East Midlands could prove to be excellent news for a handful of players who are already on the books in Nottingham.

Why Glasner’s arrival is perfect for Wood & Jesus at Nottingham Forest

Glasner’s system demands a clinical talisman to lead the line, but also offer a key physical presence – as seen with Jean-Philippe Mateta at Crystal Palace.

The Frenchman enjoyed the best spell of his professional career under the Austrian at Selhurst Park – subsequently netting 33 goals across the last two seasons.

A deal for the 29-year-old to follow his former boss to the City Ground appears unlikely, with Glasner able to mould the likes of Chris Wood and Igor Jesus into his ideal centre-forward.

Both attackers have enjoyed impressive spells in Nottingham over recent years, as both players have netted at least 15+ goals in one of the last two seasons.

The latter of the duo was the Reds’ main talisman throughout most of last term in the absence of the New Zealand star – often starting ahead of the 34-year-old throughout pre-season.

The Brazilian has netted three times in five games since the Austrian’s arrival – with the 25-year-old seemingly benefiting from the manager’s ability to get the best out of his strikers.

Arnaud Kalimuendo is another attacker who could star under the new boss, but it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see him depart should an acceptable offer be presented.

How Nottingham Forest can add to Wood and Jesus

Despite the presence of Wood and Jesus at Forest, there’s no denying Glasner will have ambitions of adding further quality into his forward line before his debut campaign at the helm.

The Reds are said to have made an approach to sign Santiago Castro earlier in the window, but have moved on to other targets after he joined Serie A outfit, Roma.

One of the other names that has been under huge consideration over the last couple of weeks at the City Ground is Chelsea outcast Liam Delap – who looks set to leave this summer.

Journalist Simon Phillips has provided the latest on the deal for the 23-year-old, claiming that Forest have spoken to the player and are set to enter club-to-club talks with Xabi Alonso’s men over a possible transfer.

The Englishman has too spoken to by some members of the Reds board, with the hierarchy said to now be pushing ahead with a move for his signature.

Any deal would likely be an expensive one though, with previous reports claiming that a deal for Delap could cost as much as £35m before the window closes.

He may not be many of the supporters’ number one choice to bolster the front line this summer, but a deal for Delap’s signature could prove to be a superb deal for Glasner’s men.

Whilst he only scored once for the Blues in England’s top-flight last term, he does have previous experience in finding the net – after scoring 12 times for Ipswich Town the season prior.

His stats from such a campaign highlight his tremendous ability in forward areas, which could see him become the next player to benefit from the Austrian’s guidance.

The youngster managed to achieve a 47% shot-on-target accuracy rate in the Premier League two seasons ago, whilst also averaging 1.2 shots on target per 90.

Both of the aforementioned figures were higher than those produced by Wood and Jesus last term, with the Englishman arguably an instant upgrade on the duo.

He also managed to complete 1.4 successful dribbles per 90 in England’s top-flight, subsequently placing him above 88% of players in the division that campaign.

Such a skillset would add a new dimension to the Forest frontline, as it’s an area which has been massively lacking pace and a direct runner in years gone by.

Despite his impressive footwork, Delap has also demonstrated a physical side to his game – something needed in Glasner’s system – which saw him win 58% of his ground duels.

Spending £40m on the Chelsea star would hand the new boss the perfect centre-forward for his current system – with the Englishman able to take his career to the next level at the City Ground.

Should he complete a deal and get anywhere near the levels of Mateta under the Austrian – the current transfer fee would be a bargain and one of the signings of the summer.