Nottingham Forest are set for a busy January transfer window with three incomings rumoured. But should one be the free agent signing of Anthony Martial?

It has emerged during this international break that Nottingham Forest are looking to make waves in the January transfer window, with a Morgan Rogers-esque talent desired by the Reds.

Nottingham Forest can try Anthony Martial before committing

Forest need more options in attacking areas of the pitch, with Anthony Martial potentially representing an interesting opportunity due to his experience scoring in the league and also the fact that he is a free agent.

On TalkingPoints, user @shaunwilson made the compelling point that Martial fits the profile Forest have set out for this winter’s attacking target.

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Anthony Martial. Offer contract til end of season, if it works out give longer st the end of season

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This is a risk-free move that, on one hand, gives Oliver Glasner a proven Premier League goalscorer, who could play as a 10 with his excellent technical ability. But on the flip side, it negates any risk as he would only be on a six-month deal.

It would be the definition of low risk, high reward. Either he comes in, works hard, and Forest gets a glimpse of his incredible ability for free, or he doesn’t do that and leaves in a few months, with wage demands likely to be quite reasonable.

Martial was once Europe’s most exciting talent, but that was a decade ago, and the mention of his name in late 2026 is a shocking suggestion, but it might just be crazy enough to work.

• 63 Premier League goals
• 209 Premier League appearances

What could make the deal smart is that by only giving Martial a few months, he would be inclined to play to the best of his ability and give his all, to strive for an extension. So any lack of effort would only be harmful to himself.

The harsh reality that goes against the Martial gamble

There are a lot of hypothetical upsides to this potential deal; however, the downsides may outweigh these, as there is a reason that he remains unattached in November.

Martial’s career since leaving Manchester United has been a downward trend, failing at AEK Athens and then to Liga MX with Monterrey, where he saw his contract cancelled one year into a two-year deal.

There are also massive question marks over Martial’s fitness and arguably tactical fit for Glasner’s system, which demands a lot of work, something the nearly 31-year-old Frenchman may not be able to offer.

So while there is an argument to suggest Martial would be a smart addition, as suggested by the fanbase, chances are the negatives simply outweigh the positives, and for that reason, we can’t see it happening.