With news of Elliot Anderson’s possible departure, the Nottingham Forest midfielder’s transfers will become a focus for the Reds.

Vito Pereira’s side are looking to sign reinforcements in the event Elliot Anderson exits as rumors continue to circulate during the summer transfer window.

The England international has been on the radar of a number of Premier League giants, with Manchester City and Manchester United looking likely to go head-to-head over the signing of the midfielder.

Ever since news broke of Elliot Anderson’s exit, the Reds have been on the lookout for midfield reinforcements who could be the Englishman’s replacement.

With several players expected to move to the East Midlands, which midfielder could be a suitable replacement for Elliot Anderson if Forest’s number eight leaves?

Nottingham Forest transfer: Vito Pereira enters Serie A market

Nottingham Forest struggled to sign Inter Milan midfielder Davide Fratesi during the January transfer window, with the Italian looking destined for a move to the Premier League until a late U-turn prevented the move from happening.

The 26-year-old midfielder has once again been linked with a move to the East Midlands giants, a name Forest fans will be hearing about in the coming weeks.

With rumors of Elliot Anderson’s exit starting to become louder and more frequent, could Flatsey be the right fit for the Reds and become the midfielder they need?

Having said that, other Serie A midfielders have also been linked with the Forest number eight, such as Kevoron Thuram and Nicolo Pisilli.

The latter is an exciting 21-year-old talent at Roma who is having an outstanding season, scoring 4 goals and 4 assists in 34 games in all competitions.

However, Thuram would be an excellent deal for the Reds. The France midfielder was an exciting young talent at Nice before a move to Juventus did not necessarily pay dividends for the 25-year-old.

Compared to Fratesi and Pisilli, Thuram has been given a starting role in the Old Lady and has received significant minutes under his legs, something the former two lack in the 2025/26 season.

Anderson is able to play as a number six or eight, Thuram and Pisilli have much-needed experience in those positions, as does Fratsi, but the Italian has more experience in the eight and ten positions.

Compared to Anderson, Thuram has a very strong connection with the Englishman’s statistics, and the Frenchman is also a passing genius, highlighted by his nearly 87% passing success rate.

Nottingham Forest transfer: Bundesliga loan player with Premier League experience

Another player linked with a summer move to Nottingham Forest is Arsenal midfielder Fabio Vieira, who spent last season on loan at Hamburger SV.

With the same stature as Anderson, the Portuguese midfielder could be the more attacking number eight option the Reds are eyeing.

In 31 games in all competitions, Vieira has seven goals and five assists, his best season since scoring 23 goals for Porto in 2021/22.

In terms of offensive output, the Reds will bring in a player with extensive offensive abilities and can provide shooting ability when needed.

However, Vieira doesn’t have the defensive contribution that Anderson has, something Forest have relied heavily on over the past two seasons.

If the 26-year-old is prioritized at signing to replace export header Anderson, Forest will need to pair the Portuguese midfielder with a more defensive presence such as Ibrahim Sangare to strike the right balance.

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Nottingham Forest transfer: Is this an opportunity for someone like James McCarty to step up?

James McCarty has had limited opportunities to impress for the Reds since joining Nottingham Forest last summer, with numerous managerial changes having an impact.

The Manchester City academy graduate signed for the East Midlands club while Nuno Espirito Santo was still in charge; however, he has made just two starts in the Premier League since, mostly as a substitute.

Having been used heavily during Nottingham Forest’s successful Europa League campaign, Elliot Anderson’s rumored exit opens up a return path for the somewhat forgotten attacking midfielder.

The 23-year-old has shown his ability in the Premier League playing for Guardiola’s Manchester City in the 2024/25 season and Sheffield United in the 2023/24 season.

Having said that, Anderson will be left with a huge void to fill, and with McCarty primarily an attacking midfielder, could his starting XI allow Reds captain Morgan Gibbs-White to drop into midfield?

Gibbs-White’s attacking output has helped Forest remain a Premier League club for another season, and Pereira is unlikely to want to take a step back from his captain, especially after such a superb goalscoring season.

Nottingham Forest transfers are definitely something to keep an eye on, especially if Elliot Anderson exits.