Dyche frustrated with too few signings for Forest ahead of Leeds trip | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche admitted he didn’t sign all of his January transfer targets ahead of his side’s crucial visit to level-pegging Leeds United.

The stakes are high in the clash against Daniel Farke’s Lilywhites, as the winners could go nine points clear of the Premier League relegation places.

Goalkeeper Mats Selz suffered a groin injury while Neco Williams was red carded for preventing a goal with his hand in the 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out.

A handful of Nottingham Forest enquiries for players on deadline day were pushed away, two for Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, yet the club still managed to acquire three players in a volatile January transfer window.

While the arrivals of former Man City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and wing-back Luca Netz from Borussia Monchengladbach could help rectify the damage against Palace, Dyche hinted that his transfer business was left unfinished.

He said: “There were a number of situations that we felt like we could operate in, but I did say before the window it’s not just targeting players, it’s getting deals done, which isn’t an easy process.

“But overall, there’s some talented players here. Some are maturing into what it is to be in the Premier League so that work continues, and there’s some good signs from the group.

“I think the balance of the group on the whole is okay. If we could have strengthened, we would, but as I said, it is not easy to get deals over the line.”

Dyche asserted the quality of the former Manchester City goalkeeper and how this particular signing arrives at a useful time.

“He’s a keeper that we have liked from history. I have always said that we have good goalkeepers at this football club.

“John [Victor] getting injured has allowed the chance for Ortega to come in. He’s enjoying it so far and has mixed in with the group.”

Dyche also offered an update into Sels’ situation, and also revealed the extent of Callum Hudson-Odoi’s shoulder injury.

He said: “We’re waiting over the next 48 hours to get some advice on it, so we’ll take an opinion over the next couple of days before we know more about the length of it. We have a chance, but we’ll see how it settles.”

“Callum has a knock on his shoulder, he landed awkwardly, but it’s nothing too serious even though it’s a painful one. We will have to make a decision on that.”

With over 100 German top flight appearances under Netz’s belt, he provides a naturally left-sided option for Dyche to deploy, especially with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s loan at the club ending.

Dyche said: “He’s a young, up and coming player, who adds balance because we are limited in that position. He’s one amongst a number of players here I think who have been brought in for a ‘what’s next’ type of thing, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play now.”

Nottingham Forest’s summer outlay equipped the squad for attending to both European and domestic duties.

Nonetheless, some of those summer signings have operated largely on the peripheries across three separate managerial spells in a challenging season for Forest.