Nottingham Forest 'advance' on granting Steve Cooper transfer wish

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Sporting CP striker Islam Slimani to provide competition for record signing Taiwo Awoniyi.

The Reds secured the signing of Nigerian forward Awoniyi last month for a club-record £17 million deal from Union Berlin as preparations for their first season back in the Premier League for 23 years continue.

Steve Cooper is close to securing his second signing of the summer in Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson. The English shot-stopper is set to join on a season-long loan deal in search of first-team football.

With just over a month until the opening fixture of the season, Forest are edging closer to adding a new striker to their squad alongside Awoniyi. According to Record [via Sport Witness], Cooper wants to sign another attacker and Slimani is "top of his list".

The 34-year-old striker returned to Sporting last summer after spells at Leicester City and Lyon. Slimani netted 57 times for the Portuguese side between 2013-2016 before joining the Foxes for a then club-record fee of £30million following their Premier League title win.

However, his time at the King Power Stadium failed to live up to the expectations with only eight goals in 28 games before he was shipped out on loan to Newcastle United in 2018. The 6ft 2in striker spent a season at Fenerbahce and AS Monaco before signing for Lyon in 2020.

Second choice to Memphis Depay, Slimani scored eight goals in 37 games before returning to the Estadio Jose Alvalade. Record claim that the striker's isn't part of Ruben Amorim's plans this season and Forest will "advance" to sign the forward after talks with Qatari side Al Gharafa collapsed.