Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has voiced his concern over the club's lack of transfer business, despite the club closing in on two of England's most promising youngsters. James McAtee is set to complete a £30m move from Manchester City, while negotiations continue over a club record deal worth around £38m for Ipswich's Omari Hutchinson.
Forest have also added Dan Ndoye for £34m as a replacement for Anthony Elanga, and secured star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White on a new contract. However, after a worrying pre-season in which the team scored just once in seven friendlies, Nuno has raised the alarm ahead of Sunday's Premier League opener at home to Brentford and a first European campaign in 30 years.
'I'm concerned,' Nuno said. 'We're short on options, having solutions the game might need is a major concern. The problems will be 'ifs' during the game, problems that arise, we need options and solutions. Things are moving, potentially, medicals and then let's see. We need players but for sure, they are not going to be available for Sunday.'
Striker Arnaud Kalimuendo could also arrive from Rennes, but Nuno believes every area apart from centre-back requires strengthening in the next fortnight. 'We need another option for the goalkeeper situation. On the defensive line full backs, I think we're OK in the centre halves. Dominguez is injured, Danilo is not here so we need midfielders, on the wings also. Up front we have Igor [Jesus], Chris [Wood] and [Taiwo Awoniyi] but maybe another body would be good because of the amount of games.'
Having qualified for Europe on the back of a counter-attacking style, Nuno has been hoping to change the team's approach. But a late-season slide in which a tired, shallow squad won just two of their final eight games has strengthened his argument for more arrivals. 'Dealing with doubts is the worst thing you can have in football,' he added. 'We have doubts, who is going to be here, when are they going to come? All these things create doubts. Not only for me but in the club.'
