Nottingham Forest eye Chelsea trio?

The Tricky Trees started their second season back in the Premier League with a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal last Saturday, with first-half goals from Eddie Nketiah and Bukayo Saka downing the visitors at the Emirates.

Matt Turner and Ola Aina were the only two players in Forest's starting XI in North London that had been signed ahead of the 2023-24 term, although new arrival Anthony Elanga grabbed an assist after coming off the bench.

Following an unprecedented amount of incomings in the summer of 2022, the East Midlands club have curbed their spending this time around, however Cooper's men are set to be busy in the final weeks of the window.

According to the Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest are looking to recruit Hudson-Odoi, Chalobah and Maatsen from Chelsea before the window slams shut on September 1.

Winger Hudson-Odoi struggled to make an impact at Bayer Leverkusen during a loan spell last term, and it is understood that his time at Stamford Bridge is heading towards a conclusion.

The 22-year-old has been heavily linked to the Blues' West London rivals Fulham so far this summer, with one report last week claiming that the Cottagers were expecting to complete the signing of the attacker.

As for Chalobah, the centre-back is currently sidelined with an injury sustained in pre-season, although his first-team opportunities at Chelsea were set to be limited regardless due to the recent signings of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile from Monaco.

The former Ipswich Town loanee started 18 Premier League matches for the Blues last term, forming part of a Chelsea side who stuttered to a bottom-half finish in the English top flight.

Whilst Chalobah was fighting in a struggling team at Stamford Bridge, left-back Maatsen was enjoying a title-winning season at Turf Moor with Burnley.

The Dutchman played 39 second-tier matches for Vincent Kompany's Clarets - providing 10 goal contributions in the process - as they cantered to the Championship crown ahead of Sheffield United in second.

The report also claims that central defence is an area being specifically targeted for improvement by Cooper and Forest, with Manchester City's Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Morato of Benfica being discussed by the Tricky Trees.

Citizens youngster Harwood-Bellis joined Maatsen at Burnley for the 2022-23 campaign, impressing during his first full season of senior football in England.

A back three of Willy Boly, Joe Worrall and Scott McKenna is likely to start for Forest when they welcome recently-promoted Sheffield United to the City Ground on Friday night in the Premier League.