Jesus upgrade: Nottingham Forest in the race to sign £13m “freight truck”
Nottingham Forest’s revival since Sean Dyche’s arrival at the club has been nothing short of sensational, with the 54-year-old having an immediate impact at the City Ground.
He’s led the Reds to four wins out of a possible five in the Premier League, taking the side out of the relegation zone and now looking upwards rather than over their shoulder.
Dyche has allowed numerous players to recapture their best form in the East Midlands, but none more so than Morgan Gibbs-White, as seen by his form in November.
The Englishman scored three times in his four appearances last month, resulting in the 25-year-old being nominated for the division’s Player of the Month award.
He could be joined by multiple other attacking options after the January window, with owner Evangelos Marinakis once again preparing to invest in the first-team squad.
Forest’s hunt for added reinforcements in the January window
Over the last couple of days, Forest have been just one English side touted with a potential move to land Lyon star Tyler Morton in the upcoming transfer window.
It’s been reported that Dyche’s side could see the 23-year-old as a possible replacement for Elliot Anderson should the England international leave in the winter market.
However, it’s also been reported that Marinakis is unwilling to sanction a January exit for their star player, with a £100m valuation already being slapped on his head.
Morton isn’t the only player on their shortlist at present, though, with Parma striker Mateo Pellegrino another option currently being considered by the hierarchy.
According to Sport Witness, the Reds are just one of multiple Premier League sides considering a move for the 24-year-old forward, who’s already netted seven goals this season.
The report also states West Ham and Spurs have also tracked his progress, with an unnamed English outfit already making a £13m bid for his signature in the summer.
Why Forest’s latest target would be an upgrade on Jesus
During the recent spending in the summer, Forest completed a deal for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus, after the Brazilian impressed at the Club World Cup during the summer.
Such a move generated huge excitement among the fanbase, with the 24-year-old already making an immediate impact in England after his transfer during the off-season.
He’s already found the net on six separate occasions to date, with three of his efforts coming in the Europa League during the club’s first European campaign in 30 years.
Jesus finally netted his first Premier League goal of the season against Wolves on Wednesday night, with his effort hopefully the first of many during the 2025/26 campaign.
However, he could find himself further down the pecking order after January, especially if the hierarchy complete a deal for Pellegrino during the upcoming window.
When comparing the pair’s respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the Argentine has outperformed him in key areas, showcasing why he would be an upgrade in the Brazilian.
Pellegrino, who’s been labelled a “freight-truck” by Serie A commentator Jose Rodriguez, has registered more league goals in 2025/26 to date, whilst also achieving a better goal per shot on target rate.
Games played
13
13
Goals & assists
4
1
Shot on target accuracy
38%
25%
Goals per shot on target
0.4
0.1
Passes into final third
1.1
0.6
Take-on success
64%
27%
Fouls drawn
2.3
1.4
Aerials won
4.6
3.9
Aerial success rate
55%
41%
Such numbers showcase his incredible ability when in front of goal, whether that be in the air or on the ground, with the Argentine possessing serious quality in the box.
He could be the perfect Dyche centre-forward, as seen by his tally of 4.6 aerials won at a success rate of 53%, potentially offering the focal point, an area in which Jesus has struggled.
The Parma talisman has also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst making more passes into the final third, arguably being a better all-round option than the Brazilian.
It’s unclear if the player himself would be open to a winter switch to the Premier League, but it’s clear Pellegrino would be a perfect fit for the current system at the City Ground.
He and Jesus are two players who could certainly share the responsibility at the top end of the pitch, with the former of the pair the best option to lead the club into the unknown.
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