Forest could take Elanga to the next level by signing the “world class” £20m ace

Two years after being promoted, Nottingham Forest's team has undergone a major change, as a number of players have come in to try and fill the gap created by many teams in the Premier League.

Huddersfield Town's play-off final victory is a day that will live long in the memory of all Reds fans, but it's safe to say that the team looks completely different a few years after the Wembley victory.

Apart from the matchday squad at the time of the win, only academy graduates Joe Worrall and Ryan Yates remain under contract at the City Ground, in a squad full of loanees.

The club have made some excellent hires in the 2021/22 season, with loanees Keinan Davis, Philip Zinckernagel and James Garner all playing key roles in Steve Cooper's side that campaign – scoring 16 goals and registering 23 assists in all competitions.

However, despite a trio of victories in the East Midlands, none were permanent signings, all of whom went on to enjoy varying degrees of success away from the Reds.

One player this season has failed to progress since his spell at Trentside, but if he does stay at Forest, the club would be foolish not to sign him on a new contract if there is time for him.

Why Nottingham Forest should sign the former star on loan this summer

It could be a move that could divide opinion, but defender Djed Spence has failed to replicate his form following his £20m move to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2022, making just six first-team appearances for Spurs.

He has since endured loan spells at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, looking like a shadow of his Forest, with the former Middlesbrough talent clearly lacking in confidence in recent years.

A move to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was part of the move to lure the 23-year-old to the Premier League's top talent, but unfortunately he has found himself struggling for minutes in North London.

As Ange Postecoglou's side look to invest in new talent themselves, they will be looking to offload a number of players to raise funds, and Spence could be one player heading for the exit door – according to Fabrizio Romano.

With Forest interested in a permanent deal until 2022 – and with Yates seemingly backing a reunion last summer – a new approach should be in order this time around, with his skills benefitting current Forest star Anthony Elanga.

Why Spence can take Elanga to the next level

During his short stint with the Reds, Spence was superb, pocketing Gabriel Martinelli in their 1-0 win over Arsenal in the FA Cup third round – pundit Ian Wright saying at the time that he “didn't see the fighting, the technical, the flexibility. like that for a very long time”.

He was then dubbed the EBL's “world-class” pundit, an apt comment given his rapid development under Cooper during the club's title-winning campaign.

He played 42 times for the Reds, scoring three goals and averaging 4.4 runs per 90 games – a figure that puts him in the top 6% of all defenders in the division in 2021/22.

Spence also averaged 1.9 goals, a number that could work well in Nuno Espírito Santo's back-five system, with the Portuguese manager using players with the ability to thrive at both ends of the pitch.

His next stats will be of great benefit to Reds defender Elanga, who likes to match up with a full-back as shown in Neco Williams this season – the former Manchester United man registered 14 goals in a promising campaign at the City Ground.

The Swede likes to beat the man, his speed and power are huge assets for Forest and you can see him and Spence form a lethal partnership as the full-back does with Brennan Johnson in the 2021/22 season, as the Wales international. he scored 28 goals and assisted in all categories.

Having that combination of Spence and Johnson's successor – the Suns – down the right side could be a threat to the Tricky Trees next season.