Phillipe Montanier’s reign at the City ground has seemingly done more harm than good as Nottingham Forest are timorously breathing above the relegation zone with just a two-point gap. Mark Warburton has been handed the responsibilities to not only take the club to the safe zone this season but to also aim for silverware next term. The rise of competition in the Championship has indeed been humungous and Warburton needs to start identifying his targets for the next campaign.
Here are three players who should find their way into the new gaffer’s thought process as his prospective summer transfer window targets.
Daryl Murphy
The Tricky Trees do need a talismanic forward to pile misery upon the opponents and Daryl Murphy would be an ideal addition to their ranks. The experienced striker has been sparingly used by the Geordies this season, having been given the opportunity of playing on merely 9 occasions during which he mustered 4 goals and created 4 chances.
Fawaz Al-Hasawi would, however, need to break the bank to lure him but he really has the calibre to flourish and take Forest to a respectable position next season.
Sam Morsy
Out on loan to Barnsley from parent club Wigan Athletic, Sam Morsy has already bagged 3 assists from 14 outings for Barnsley and he would provide some attributes which the Reds are evidently lacking at this stroke of the hour. A central midfielder who would not only cushion the defensive line but would also surge forward to create moments of magic with his precise passing range, energy and unadulterated flamboyance, the Egypt international would be a perfect commodity aiding Warburton in discharging his duties.
Moreover, he is versatile enough to play centrally as well as in an advanced role which does make him a perfect utility player.
Steven Caulker
Owing to the apparent availability of the likes of Nedum Onuoha, Grant Hill and Joel Lynch, opportunities to start have been limited for Steven Caulker at the heart of Queens Park Rangers’ defence. Finding the back of the net hasn’t been an issue for Nottingham Forest but it is the lack of resilience at the back that has hurt their credentials.
Plotting an audacious move for the 25-year-old Englishman would be a shrewd act from the former Rangers boss, for despite having made 13 appearances for the London-based side this season, Caulker has bagged 2 goals, won 13 tackles with a success rate of 62%, made 23 interceptions, 75 clearances and 13 blocks to prove his intrinsic value.
Statistics Credits: Squawka.
