Nottingham Forest strike agreement for player loved by Inter Milan legend
Nottingham Forest are set to complete a deal to sign Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca on loan with an option to buy.
Jorgen Strand Larsen had been linked to Nottingham Forest, but transfer chiefs at the City Ground have looked elsewhere.
Sean Dyche has been hoping to see his squad bolstered this month, as he attempts to guide his team away from the relegation zone.
Nottingham Forest are in a battle with West Ham for safety in the Premier League this season, with Leeds United pulling away.
Tammy Abraham was also considered by Nottingham Forest, but the Englishman looks set to join Aston Villa.
Nottingham Forest reach total agreement for Lorenzo Lucca
Nottingham Forest‘s desperation for a striker this month has been spurred on by Chris Wood‘s absence.
The 34-year-old enjoyed a stunning last season, scoring 20 goals in the Premier League as Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side surged towards the European spots.
| Chris Wood | Premier League 2024-25 |
| Appearances | 36 |
| Goals | 20 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Shots | 68 |
| Chances created | 22 |
| Duels won | 128 |
And when he scored a brace on the opening day against Brentford, it looked as if Wood was ready to do it all over again.
A knee injury in October halted the New Zealand international, however, and he confirmed in December that he had undergone surgery.
Igor Jesus and Taiwo Awonyi remain among Dyche’s options, but the latter has rarely featured this season, while the former has struggled to find consistency in the Premier League.
As David Ornstein reported on Thursday, the situation has led Nottingham Forest to reach a total agreement with Napoli for the signing of Lucca.
The 25-year-old will join on an initial loan with a £35m option to buy in the summer, and he is due to fly to England on Thursday to complete the move.
What Simone Inzaghi said about Lucca
Simone Inzaghi spent four years in charge of Inter Milan between 2021 and 2025, eventually leaving by mutual consent and joining Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal the day after.
The 49-year-old guided the Serie A giants to their best league points tally in 17 years when they won the league in 2024, and they lifted the Coppa Italia twice under his watch, too.
Inzaghi’s side would reach the Champions League final twice in his time in charge, but lost both games.
Speaking about Lucca when he was linked to Inter in March 2025, the Italian said: “He’s a great player who’s doing well and not just since today, he’s been doing well for a long time at Udinese.
“Today we’ll have to be careful, they have a lot of dangerous players.” Lucca scored 14 goals in 36 games for Udinese last season before joining Napoli in a deal worth around £30m.