Steve Cooper continues to work to get more new faces at Forest

Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper says the club’s recruitment drive will continue until the transfer window shuts as they close in on three more recruits.

Forest have already signed 12 players following their promotion to the Premier League but Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis, former Crystal Palace midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate and Switzerland international Remo Freuler are poised to join.

Cooper does not expect any of them to come in before Sunday’s home game with West Ham – the City Ground’s first top flight game since 1999 – but does not expect the business to end there.

He said: “It is no secret we are actively looking for players, we have been linked with more players than is actually true, we are trying to get some players in.

“Progress on some of them, others not really. But my focus is on the boys I have and getting ready for Sunday.

“We are pleased with how we are working. It was always going to be a busy summer, it has been and it will continue to be.

“We are still in that process of bringing players in and moving some out as well. It has been going on for a while and it will continue until the window closes.

“Our focus is on the players that are coming through the door every day.”

Despite the prospect of Dennis, Kouyate and Freuler joining soon, Cooper did not want to talk about individuals until they are over the line.

“Until any player is signed and registered, I learned pretty quickly in football management, then don’t talk about a new signing until it’s done,” he added. “I’ll stick to that, there’s no news.

“Apparently we have been linked we all sorts of names, some of them true, some of it definitely not. Until we get a player over the line there’s no point in talking.”

Cooper knows Forest’s first home game in the Premier League in 23 years is a big occasion.

“We need to thrive in it,” he said. “There is no doubt for the Nottingham public, this is an important game, the first home game back in the Premier League, we are proud to be part of it.

“But we have to focus what we are in control of, the performance, the result. That is where our attention needs to be.

“If we get that right – we know it will be an amazing atmosphere anyway – so it will be even bigger.

“It is important being back in the Premier League and the first game back at home is always one that everyone is going to be looking forward to.”