Former Nottingham Forest shot-stopper Mark Crossley believes that the club will need to sign two strikers if Brennan Johnson leaves before the end of the summer transfer window.

There has reportedly been interest in Johnson's services from Premier League newcomers Brentford FC and Sky Sports claim they are in talks with Forest over a deal for the attacking midfielder, but the Bees are not prepared to pay the £10m that Forest value the 20-year-old at.

Johnson was in fine form last season while on loan at Lincoln City, making 48 appearances for the Imps, scoring 13 goals and adding a further 14 assists, as Lincoln reached the League One play-off final at Wembley.

But Crossley believes that if Johnson does depart the City Ground this summer, then Forest need to add two strikers their squad: “Brennan Johnson is a target for a lot of clubs, so if he ends up going then you probably think it’s not one striker that’s needed, we probably need two, especially if you’re trying to get out of the division.

"It’s all about the strikers, although other players in the team have got to come up with goals but you need that 20 goal per season striker and another one that probably going to buy in with 15 or 16 goals,” Crossley exclusively told Transfer Tavern.

Bottom of the table Nottingham Forest travel to rivals Derby County on Saturday afternoon and are in search for their first Championship points of the campaign having lost their opening four league fixtures of 2021/2022.