Nottingham Forest haven't had the fairytale start to their Premier League return supporters might have dreamed of and with an ambitious transfer window in the summer that saw the club sign 22 new players, there is no doubt Evangelos Marinakis would have been hoping for better performances.

Indeed, the Tricky Trees had just begun to find their feet in the top flight in their last five fixtures ahead of the World Cup break picking up crucial points in four of those outings something Steve Cooper will be delighted about.

Forest are now just one point away from climbing out of the relegation zone after being cemented in the bottom three throughout the majority of the season so far and when they return to action against Manchester United after Christmas they will be hoping they can pick up where they left off.

Just four days after they head to Old Trafford for their first clash after the World Cup the transfer window will reopen, giving the powers at The City Ground the opportunity to add more quality to their team in their final push for survival in the second half of the season.

Marinakis sacked his head of recruitment and head scout after a review of the summer transfer window and will be hoping his newly-appointed personnel can deliver some much-needed talent that Cooper can deploy in the team.

One player who has been linked with a move to Trentside is Atalanta sensation Ruslan Malinovskyi, and the talented forward could be just what Nottingham Forest need to climb the table to retain their Premier League status.

The 29-year-old - who has a "stunning" left foot according to journalist Josh Bunting - has scored 74 goals and registered 68 assists over his career so far, with a goal contribution every 150 minutes proving that he has been a consistent and reliable goal threat.

Not only that, Malinovskyi ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for progressive passes, shots on goal and shot-creating actions, as well as ranking in the top 20% for blocks, aerial duels, assists and dribbles completed.

Indeed, Forest will have competition to sign the £43m gem over the coming weeks as Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is also keen to acquire the services of the player according to Fabrizio Romano.

With that being said, Cooper could get The City Ground rocking by securing a deal for Malinovskyi in January and the signing would further display the ambitious intent the club has shown to become an established Premier League side.