Nottingham Forest have made defender Max Lowe their fifth summer signing, ahead of Saturday’s crunch clash with Derby County.
The left-back has put pen to paper on a season-long loan from Sheffield United to bolster Chris Hughton’s squad as deadline day draws closer.
And he arrives just before a meeting with his former club this weekend, having started out with the Rams.
Lowe joins goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, attacking midfielder Philip Zinckernagel, full-back Jordi Osei-Tutu and midfielder James Garner in linking up with Forest so far this summer.
Boss Hughton has been desperate for more numbers to provide strength in depth amid a wretched start to the season.
His team make the trip to Pride Park yet to register a point in the Championship in their first four fixtures, leaving them rock bottom of the table.
They were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, losing 4-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Hughton fielding a largely youthful side due to having one eye on the meeting with the Rams.
Left-back has been a particularly troublesome area for the Reds this term. Yuri Ribeiro moved on at the end of his contract in the summer, while Nicholas Ioannou went on loan to Como 1907 and Tyler Blackett joined FC Cincinnati.
Arsenal loanee Osei-Tutu had filled in there, but suffered a hamstring injury in only his second appearance for the club.
A lack of options had seen Gaetan Bong brought back into the fold, after he was initially told he was free to head elsewhere, while right-back Jordan Gabriel was also forced to switch sides in the 2-1 defeat to Blackburn Rovers, following Osei-Tutu’s enforced departure.
Lowe started his career with Derby, having loan spells at Shrewsbury Town and Aberdeen, before agreeing a four-year contract with the Blades last September.
The 24-year-old featured 11 times in 2020/21, with eight of those coming in the Premier League, but has not got out on the pitch in the current campaign.
His arrival is unlikely to be the end of Forest’s transfer business, with the club targeting further additions before Tuesday night’s 11pm deadline.
“It’s always very difficult to state cases and feelings,” Hughton said in his pre-match press conference, when asked if he was confident of bringing in the numbers required.
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“All I can say is the club are working as hard as possible, as hard as they can, to bring in the numbers we need, as quickly as we can.
“Yes, we are running out of time. Certainly once we get past the weekend, we are approaching the last couple of days of the window.
“In most windows, there’s been a lot of work done in a short period of time.
“I’m very much hoping and hopeful, and that’s all I can be.”
