Glasner personally wants to sign ‘top’ Tottenham player for Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest are preparing for a busy finish to the transfer window as Oliver Glasner looks to complete the reshaping of his squad.

Forest have taken a controlled approach after selling Elliot Anderson to Man City for £116 million. That enormous fee provided room to spend, but the club have focused on specific additions instead of another huge recruitment drive.

Xaver Schlager became Glasner’s first arrival on a free transfer from RB Leipzig.

The Austria midfielder previously played under the Forest boss at Wolfsburg and provides experience in the centre.

Forest then paid around £34.3 million to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting. Glasner previously wanted the Ivory Coast defender at Crystal Palace, while goalkeeper Steven Benda has also arrived after leaving Fulham.

However, the 1-0 opening day defeat against Leeds showed there is still work to do. Forest defended reasonably well but struggled to create clear chances before Anton Stach’s late free kick decided the contest.

A striker is therefore high on the agenda.

The Guardian and other reports claim that Forest are closing in on Chelsea forward Liam Delap, while The Times says discussions have covered both a permanent transfer and a loan.

REUTERS/David Klein

Glasner is also seeking another wing back before the deadline.

Delap would replenish an attack that lost Taiwo Awoniyi to Coventry City. Chris Wood turns 35 in December, while Igor Jesus and Arnaud Kalimuendo have yet to become consistent Premier League scorers.

Another midfield option has now returned to the spotlight too.

Glasner personally wants Nottingham Forest to sign Lucas Bergvall

REUTERS/Caean Couto

BBC senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel reports that Glasner personally holds an interest in signing Lucas Bergvall from Tottenham.

The detail emerged amid Spurs’ exploratory approach for Neco Williams, although Forest have no intention of selling the Wales international.

Bergvall has been on their radar throughout the summer. Tottenham rejected an opening offer of around £38 million in July, with Forest subsequently preparing a package worth £45 million.

Earlier BBC reporting indicated that the Sweden international was attracted by a move to the City Ground.

At 20, Bergvall could help replace some of the midfield progression lost with Anderson. He is comfortable receiving possession under pressure, carrying the ball through central areas and pressing aggressively when his side lose it.

He could operate alongside Schlager in Glasner’s usual 3-4-2-1 system. Schlager could protect the defence while Bergvall moves forward and connects the midfield with Morgan Gibbs-White.

Bergvall made 33 total appearances for Spurs last season, producing a goal and five assists. His campaign was disrupted by ankle problems, while his opportunities decreased after Roberto De Zerbi took charge.

However, De Zerbi has insisted that he wants Bergvall, who he called a ‘top player‘, to remain in north London, where the midfielder is contracted until 2031.

Spurs have strengthened heavily in his area of the pitch, increasing the competition for minutes, so perhaps Bergvall’s desire for guaranteed minutes could influence his thinking.

That said, De Zerbi has also claimed that Bergvall wants to compete for his place as things stand, but things could still change and you can’t really rule anything out after this whirlwind of a transfer window.