Why Nottingham Forest Need To Sign This Serie A Star

Nottingham Forest were one of the biggest surprise packages in the 2024/25 Premier League season. Moving from a relegation battle in the previous season to challenging for a spot in the UEFA Champions League.

Despite a disappointing end to the campaign, Forest secured European qualification for next season, finishing in 7th spot and now preparing to play in the UEFA Conference League.

With higher expectations and an increased schedule, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side need to strengthen this summer - for the chance to compete and stay in European football for years to come.

20 league goals for Chris Wood this season.

He joins the club 🎯 pic.twitter.com/HQmo8Vtjvs

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 11, 2025

Chris Wood had a phenomenal season for the Reds, being their centre-piece and target-man in attack, scoring 20 goals in the Premier League. However, as the summer window is open, Forest are seemingly looking to invest in their striker department.

Dusan Vlahovic is one of the names mentioned, a Serbian striker who is currently playing his football for Juventus.

The 25-year-old has been linked with top clubs such as Arsenal in the past, but following somewhat of a down year for the forward – is trading the Allianz Stadium for the City Ground the next best move for the Vlahovic, and what would he bring to Forest?

Forest’ Thin Striker Department

On paper, with the success of Wood, Forest had a fantastic season in terms of their striker’s scoring goals – but the New Zealand international is not the only striker at the club.

Taiwo Awoniyi joined the club in 2022, netting 11 goals in his debut campaign for the club and looking like an exciting talisman for the future. However, since his first season at the club, the Nigerian has taken a backward step – coming second in the pecking order behind Wood and struggling to score goals and maintain fitness.

Taiwo Awoniyi is the third African player in Premier League history to score in seven consecutive matches 🇳🇬@NFFC pic.twitter.com/AD7aoBJxa9

— Premier League (@premierleague) August 26, 2023

In his second season, the Nigerian scored six goals and recorded three assists in 20 Premier League appearances – a decent return in limited and often substitute minutes for the striker.

But in his most recent season, Awoniyi has fallen behind his fellow talent in Nottingham, with Espirito Santo’s side rising to the top end of the table, while the 27-year-old scored just one league goal.

Awoniyi looked a different player throughout the season – his touch was heavy, and he was becoming wasteful in front of goal, underperforming his xG of 2.12. The Nigerian was also tragically injured, colliding with the post and being forced into an induced coma.

Most Premier League goals + assists for Nottingham Forest in the competition's history:

◎ 44 - Ian Woan
◉ 43 - Morgan Gibbs-White

One more to equal the record. 🫰 pic.twitter.com/vbyuu1zugk

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 18, 2025

Other than Wood and Awoniyi, Morgan Gibbs-White was the club’s next top-scorer last season with seven goals, while Anthony Elanga sat narrowly behind with six goals.

As the club prepares to compete in the Conference League, Forest may choose to upgrade on Awoniyi and bring in a striker who is able to challenge Wood and provide a similar goal output.

An Upgrade On Wood?

To replace a 20-goal-a-season striker, you are going to need to sign someone very special, and at 25 years of age – Vlahovic could be that man.

Firstly, in terms of a name and pull, the Serbian joining Forest would be a gigantic signing for the Nottinghamshire club – Vlahovic being one of Europe’s most desired strikers one or two seasons ago.

The striker burst onto the scene in 2020, scoring 21 goals in 40 games for Fiorentina before backing it up with 20 goals in 24 appearances. Vlahovic, then dubbed as the next great striker, signed for Juventus, netting nine goals in his first campaign.

Dusan Vlahovic in his last 19 Serie A games for Fiorentina:

⚽️ 14 goals
🅰️ 2 assists

21 year old phenom. pic.twitter.com/9IjQiXlmwH

— Serbian Football (@SerbianFooty) April 11, 2021

Since then, the Serbian has gone on to 56 goals in 143 appearances for Juventus, despite the difficult period that the Italian club have gone through.

As a player, Vlahovic in some respects, is not too dissimilar from Wood. The Juventus man is a tall and physical forward who is more than capable in the air – winning 47.6% of his aerial duels.

However, on the ball, the 25-year-old is more able compared to Forest’s top goal-scorer, in terms of having the ability to be more heavily involved in build-up play whilst having the ball at his feet to create chances for others. Vlahovic averaged 0.76 chances created per 90 in the Serie A last season.

Vlahovic season-wise stats.

20/21, 35 starts - 22 goals
21/22, 47 starts - 33 goals
22/23, 15 starts - 8 goals. (Current Season)

Great with Free-kicks, Penalties & Headers.

He’s just 22 years old. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/u6SJSVEVjg

— ' (@TheShowtimeReds) January 3, 2023

While Vlahovic may have only scored half of Wood’s goal return in his most recent season, the underlying statistics of the strikers are similar. Within his 20 league goals, the New Zealand international averaged 0.60 goals per 90. On the other hand, with 10 goals scored – Vlahovic averaged 0.50 goals per 90.

Nevertheless, Vlahovic and Wood are quite similar players, being physical forwards who play on the last man of the opposition's defence, but at a significantly younger age and offering a more complete overall package, the Serbian could be a superb option, and maybe even better than Wood.

A No-Brainer Deal?

🚨𝑩𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑲𝑰𝑵𝑮: #NFFC have made direct contact with Dusan Vlahovic’s camp,project and vision presented.

▪️#NottinghamForest are aiming to shift their status, pushing to land big names and make the step up in ambition.

▪️#Vlahovic is open to a Premier League switch and… pic.twitter.com/VmKF9WJC2G

— Fpl_Master (@fpl_master__) June 13, 2025

It is clear to see that Vlahovic to Forest would be an solid addition to Espirito Santo’s side. However, to take one of Europe’s elite strikers away from one of Europe’s elite clubs, the Nottinghamshire club will need to pay an increased premium.

Last summer, it is likely that Juventus would have wanted fees of upwards of €60m for the striker, with his value at an all-time high due to interest from Arsenal.

But a year later, the value of Vlahovic appears to be a no-brainer, and a steal for Forest. A package of around €25m is reportedly expected to tempt the Italian Club to sell the striker, with Forest potentially unlikely to find better value in a striker.

🚨 Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Dušan Vlahović, alongside Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.

However, his wage demands of over £192,000-a-week is an issue.

(Source: Chronicle Live) pic.twitter.com/DgPrFeTDL0

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 22, 2025

Comparatively, the downside to the attacker is his wage demands. Vlahovic likely views himself as one of the best goal-scorers in the world - therefore, his wage demands are astronomical, with the forward reportedly after £190k-a-week.

The financial upsides and potential that comes with qualifying for Europe is huge for a club like Forest. However, £190k-a-week is an incredible amount of money to be paying for a team that was in the Championship three years ago, especially for a striker that might not start ahead of Wood.

Alongside Vlahovic, Forest also look set to sign Igor Jesus from Botafogo. Jesus, a Brazilian forward operating in the Brazilian Serie A - has scored three goals and assisted one in 10 league appearances.

Two games. Two goals. Two MOTM awards.

Igor Jesus is a special talent ✨ pic.twitter.com/E2Ijy7XgkF

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 20, 2025

The 24-year-old has also impressed at the Club World Cup, scoring in consecutive group-stage fixtures to begin the tournament. With Jesus reportedly set for a move to England and Forest - the Nottinghamshire club may question whether Vlahovic is needed, considering the club will already have three senior strikers.

Nevertheless, if Forest’s higher-ups were able to negotiate the Serbian’s wage demands to a more plausible fee – Vlahovic to Forest could be one of the signings of the summer.