Nottingham Forest have already enjoyed a busy transfer window so far having signed Benfica duo Joao Carvalho and Diogo Gonclaves, but a new Portuguese name has emerged as a new target for boss Aitor Karanka.
Portuguese sports website ZeroZero have reported that the Reds have already opened talks and tabled and initial offer to sign the newly-available Daniel Podence from Sporting CP, who recently terminated his contract at the Liga NOS outfit – however, Karanka would be a making a disaster of a mistake if he signed him.
The Forest boss is currently building a squad full of talent that can easily push for promotion, but landing the signature of Podence will undo all of the work he has done.
The arrival of the Portuguese duo, who operate as attacking midfielders or wingers, means there will be too many players on the books who all play in very similiar positions.
The 22-year-old has spent the second half of last season out with an injury, and Karanka will want fitter players such as Carvalho and Gonclaves playing for him rather than take a risk with the Sporting CP man.
He has not displayed the true qualities of a winger during the 2017/2018 campaign, and this will threaten to de-rail the quality that has been bought in.
Podence only managed to conjure up eight assists during the season and this is simply not enough to support a strike force that need to increase their goal tally next term, and Karanka will certainly not want anyone in the team who does not pull their weight.
When a winger is signed, they are expected to provide assists with their technical ability and score a few goals – and Karanka will be making a costly mistake to sign a player who does not do that.
Forest are better off retracting their interest in Podence and targeting a player who is capable of stepping up to the plate.