Nottingham Forest secured several successful signings over the summer, but a few transfer targets still slipped away.

The club’s search for a striker was filled with more drama than an episode of Hollyoaks, marking perhaps the only blemish on their summer business. Despite their best efforts, Santiago Gimenez seemed close to joining Forest but made more u-turns than a driver following a faulty SatNav!

Another player on Forest’s radar was Omar Marmoush, who made his stance clear just hours before the window closed, leaving the club frustrated in their striker search.

Forest also failed in their attempts to sign Eddie Nketiah, who opted for Crystal Palace over a move to the East Midlands. After his underwhelming performance against Forest on Monday, it seems Nuno Espirito Santo was justified in advising Evangelos Marinakis to keep his money.

Seb Hutchinson, commentating for Sky Sports, was asked about Nottingham Forest’s pursuit of Eddie Nketiah and whether he would have been a good fit for the club. Hutchinson made it clear that he believes Crystal Palace was the better option for the former Arsenal striker, suggesting that Forest may have dodged a bullet with this one.

Speaking on the Forest Focus podcast, Seb Hutchinson shared his thoughts on Nottingham Forest’s failed move for Eddie Nketiah:

“I don’t like saying dodged a bullet for a player like Nketiah because he’s got sharpness in front of goal and a hunger to score, similar to Ian Wright. But his frame suggests he might be better suited to a wide area, though he doesn’t quite have the skill set of a typical winger.

“From a Forest perspective, £30 million is a lot for someone who might only be a sub. I think they dodged a bullet in the sense that they didn’t really need him. It’s not that he’s a bad player—Forest just wasn’t the right club for him.”

Forest won’t regret not pushing harder to sign Nketiah. At 25, a £30 million price tag would have meant pressure to deliver immediately, yet Nketiah hasn’t scored this season, and there’s no guarantee he would have fared better at Forest.

At Arsenal, Nketiah was rarely a starter, often used off the bench or in cup games. Signing him would have been a significant risk for Forest. While Hutchinson is right in calling Nketiah talented, it was a lot of money for someone who hasn’t proven himself as a regular goalscorer. Now, Forest can focus on other targets.