Nottingham Forest have had to conduct shrewd business to fend off any relegation threat in the Premier League - with the deal for Anthony Elanga back in 2023 one of their best since promotion.

The Swedish star joined the Reds from Manchester United for just £15m, which proved to be a bargain given his star performances and subsequent sell-on fee.

He scored 11 times and laid on 21 assists within his 82 appearances, with his tremendous solo effort against his former employers in the 2024/25 campaign arguably his best strike.

However, the 24-year-old joined Newcastle United for a reported £55m last summer, resulting in a £40m profit on their investment in just a two-year period.

New boss Oliver Glasner will no doubt wish he had the chance to work with Elanga, but already has a selection headache ahead of him given the depth of the Forest squad within attacking areas.

How Forest's forward line could look under Glasner in 2026/27

Glasner’s appointment at Forest this summer will no doubt see the Austrian utilise his preferred 3-4-2-1 system, which will see three key attackers feature in his frontline.

Morgan Gibbs-White will undoubtedly be one player to assume the number ten role behind the striker, after netting 15 goals in the Premier League last campaign.

James McAtee, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Dan Ndoye will likely fight it out for the other spot alongside the 26-year-old in Glasner’s attack.

Dilane Bakwa and Omari Hutchinson are two other attackers who will have a point to prove, with the new boss having a top-heavy squad to work with after his appointment.

The number nine position is also another key area for the Reds, with Igor Jesus, Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi all viable options for the 51-year-old to call upon.

The former of the aforementioned trio has netted three goals in as many games throughout pre-season, but also could drop into a deeper role given concerns over his best position.

However, despite the plethora of options at the manager’s disposal, there’s no denying he has a whole host of top-level talents who could certainly thrive under his guidance.

How Glasner could land the next Elanga for Forest this summer

Despite the countless attacking options at Glasner’s disposal, the Forest hierarchy and the manager believe that another centre-forward option is needed within his senior ranks.

As previously mentioned, Jesus’ best position is still yet to be decided, whilst concerns have been raised about the fitness of Wood and Awoniyi, who have both been plagued with issues in recent times.

The hierarchy have subsequently drawn up a list of potential targets, which could see a move for Chelsea talisman Liam Delap become a possibility in the near future.

It’s been reported by John Percy of The Telegraph that the Reds are keen on exploring a move for the 23-year-old forward, who’s said to be free to leave Stamford Bridge this window.

They also claim that Glasner is a huge admirer of the Englishman, with Forest previously trying to land his signature before his move to join the Blues 12 months ago.

Other reports have claimed that Xabi Alonso’s side want to make a profit on the striker’s signature, leading to a £40m price tag being mooted for his signature.

Such a move may not be popular with the supporters, with concerns over Delap’s quality after only managing to score one Premier League goal last campaign.

However, cast your mind back to 2023 upon Elanga’s arrival from United - the Swedish international ended the previous campaign with no goals but still proved to be a phenomenal addition.

Undoubtedly, the Chelsea star would cost a premium given his nationality, but it still could prove to be a bargain if he recaptures the form he demonstrated at Ipswich Town back in 2024/25.

The 23-year-old may have been relegated with the Tractor Boys, but he netted 12 goals in his 37 appearances - subsequently resulting in a move to Stamford Bridge.

However, there’s no denying his time in West London has been a disaster, but Forest have previous of resurrecting youngsters' careers away from the big six - as seen with Elanga.

The biggest factor in the move could prove to be manager Glasner, who, as previously stated, is keen on a deal to land the 23-year-old during the summer window.

He has a proven track record of taking strikers to the next level - as seen with Jean-Philippe Mateta at Crystal Palace - which should see full faith shown in the manager to make the most of the funds available.

Delap’s experience in the Premier League could also play a huge part in any deal, with the Englishman more than capable of stepping up and providing the goods when he’s in his stride.

The supporters should be open-minded over any deal for the youngster, which could see the club finally end their ongoing hunt for a new talisman.

Who’s to say he can’t emulate Elanga in making huge progress at the City Ground in the years ahead and potentially become the club’s next big-money sale?