Steve Cooper's three key Nottingham Forest decisions ahead of summer transfer window

For the first time in years, Nottingham Forest have a very real chance of winning promotion back to the Premier League.

The Reds finished seventh in 2019/20 after letting a Championship play-off spot slip through their fingers on the final day, and there was a ninth-placed finish in 2018/19. Before that, however, Reds fans have to cast their minds as far back as 2013 for a top 10 spot. In fact, 2010/11 was the last time Forest were involved in the Championship play-offs.

Steve Cooper has over-achieved with the Reds since he took over in September 2021, lifting them from the relegation zone to the top five. It has been a fair while since the man in the hot-seat at the City Ground has been expected to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League, but if all goes to plan in the next few weeks Cooper could find himself with that responsibility.

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Plenty of questions remain over how the season will end. Will the Reds endure a catastrophic conclusion like that of two years, or will there be a more positive outcome with Cooper ending Forest's 23-year absence from the top-flight.

With that in mind, these are three key decisions the Forest boss will have on his mind ahead of the summer transfer window...

First the elephant in the room: what happens to Brennan Johnson? The 20-year-old has been an absolute sensation in his debut full season in the Championship, leading Forest's goal-scoring charts (16) as well as contributing eight assists.

Such an impressive first campaign in the second-tier has prompted plenty of interest in the attacking midfielder from Premier League