It’s quietly been a solid start to life at Nottingham Forest for Oliver Glasner. Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Midlands rivals Aston Villa was the Austrian’s first win of the season, but it’s worth noting that he’s also lost just one of his first four Premier League games in charge.
The most promising moment from that victory over Aston Villa was Liam Delap’s goal. The £50m arrival netted his first goal for the club, striking from distance to announce himself in style.
It was the type of goal that previously resulted in a move to Chelsea and whilst many eyebrows were raised when Forest splashed out a club-record to sign Delap, he’ll be an excellent addition if he can return to his best form.
The only concern that Glasner should have regards his backline. Forest’s back three have kept just one clean sheet all season and that came against a toothless Tottenham Hotspur side who haven’t scored a Premier League goal all season.
Therefore, it’s only natural that Evangelos Marinakis is already looking towards the January transfer window. The Forest owner has rarely hesitated when it comes to spending big, be it in the summer or in the winter window, and 2027 could be no different.
Reports have already name-dropped one in-demand talent who could help solve Forest’s current clean sheet problem.
Nottingham Forest join race to sign Arthur Dias
Ever since the success of Murillo, Marinakis has seemingly been on the hunt for unknown South American gems who could become stars in English football. And after years of waiting, he may have finally stumbled across his next target.
According to TeamTalk, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle have both joined the race to sign Arthur Dias from Athletico Paranaense in 2027.
The 19-year-old defender is a man in-demand, with Tottenham seen as the frontrunners in England while RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, Como, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid and Benfica are all also forming a hectic race for his signature.
That, of course, makes things more complicated for those at the City Groud, but this is not one that they’ll want to miss. The teenage defender has already made 49 appearances for Athletico Paranaense’s first-team. He is not a rising star. He is ready for bigger and better things as soon as January arrives.
|
League stats 25/26 |
Murillo |
Arthur Dias |
|---|---|---|
|
Minutes |
2,133 |
2,124 |
|
Tackles |
35 |
31 |
|
Recoveries |
102 |
101 |
|
Duel success |
53.6% |
59.8% |
|
Pass success |
83.6% |
84.8% |
It’s the numbers that should excite Nottingham Forest the most. At just 19 years old, Dias is incredibly similar to Murillo. Both thrive when asked to recover possession and both are willing to take risks in possession, breaking the lines using their passing range.
If Forest are on the hunt for their next top South American star, then Dias is exactly that. It is, however, a hectic race and one they will need to battle to win. The earlier they move, the better as clubs across Europe all set their sights on the young centre-back.