Nottingham Forest and Newcastle slip behind Italian giants for £30m-rated trickster, they hold all the aces

Nottingham Forest are pushing hard to try and claim a place in Europe next season, although the Champions League tilt took a hit this weekend.

Forest were beaten 1-0 by Everton at the City Ground, with Abdoulaye Doucoure scoring the game’s only goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, following an error from Murillo.

The Reds struggled to get going against the Toffees. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team struggled to create much at all and in truth, Everton did to Forest what Forest have done to so many teams this season.

Still, with six big games to go, all is not lost. Forest now have three home games and three away games left to play, with the magnitude of the matches not going to be lost on Espirito Santo and his players.

• READ MORE: Stephen Warnock explains what Nottingham Forest must do next

Nottingham Forest behind in Luis Henrique race

It won’t be long before Forest have to wave goodbye to this season and focus on adding players to go again next season and ensure this one isn’t just a flash in the pan for the Reds.

One name who has been linked with Forest is Brazilian star Luis Henrique who is currently playing for Marseille in Ligue 1.

According to Corriere dello Sport, the Reds and Newcastle have now slipped behind Serie A outfit Inter Milan in the quest to sign the tricky winger in the summer transfer window.

Inter are going to be competing in the Club World Cup this summer and have subsequently been handed a 10-day transfer window before other clubs have a chance to sign players.

The report claims that Henrique is wanted by a clutch of clubs with Bayern Munich also in the mix with Newcastle and Forest to snare the player from the clutches of Marseille this summer.

Luis Henrique stats 2024/25

Henrique is clearly going to be sought after in the summer, with a number of clubs showing interest in the player who is only 23-years-old and capable of playing on both sides of the pitch.

The winger has been with Marseille since December 2023, when he swapped Botafogo in Brazil for France and he’s been busy making a name for himself in European football.

Forest will almost certainly look for new wingers in the summer. Although Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga have both been brilliant this season, Jota Silva has been a slow burner, whilst Ramon Sosa hasn’t been trusted by Espirito Santo too often.

Henrique would be a cracking signing for Forest. It could take up to £30 million to land him from the clutches of his current club, but if the Reds can make the Champions League, those aspirations could become more of a reality.

Stephen Warnock explains what Nottingham Forest must now do after sickening Everton defeat

Nottingham Forest were cruelly beaten by Everton on Trentside as Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a winning goal in the fourth minute of injury time.

The Reds remain third but will relinquish that position on Wednesday night, should Newcastle win their game in hand against Crystal Palace.

Nuno Espirito Santo has a tough job on his hands to get more confidence back into the Forest team ahead of next Monday’s trip to Tottenham.

The Reds have hit a blip in recent weeks with Aston Villa beating Forest last weekend and then Everton ending a nine-match unbeaten stretch on home soil.

Now, is not the time to panic, however, and perhaps dropping down a place or two in the Premier League table wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

• READ MORE: Nuno dropped clanger against Everton

Stephen Warnock shares what Nottingham Forest must do after Everton defeat

Forest are still firmly in the mix to secure Champions League football and nobody said it was going to be easy to get a place in the top five.

Manchester City, Newcastle and Aston Villa are all in good form, with Arsenal and Liverpool seemingly already nailed on for the competition.

Warnock believes that not making the Champions League would be heartbreaking for Forest from here, but has advised what needs to happen in the changing room now.