Vitor Pereira has made it clear he believes that Nottingham Forest’s squad only need a handful of additions.In the head coach’s mind, this is a summer to tinker, not overhaul. But that does not mean Forest can serve a major question: how do you replace one of the most talented players of the club’s modern era?Manchester City have seen their first offer for Elliot Anderson rejected, but the expectation is that they will return with an improved bid. He could become the most expensive English player in history. Nothing is set in stone, but it increasingly feels as though Forest must prepare for his departure.So while Pereira believes his squad is talented enough to achieve far more, one of the three or four additions he is targeting is likely to be a replacement for Anderson.Even with spending power that will be boosted by the £110million-plus that Forest hope to receive for the midfielder — Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis believes any sale should eclipse the £105m ($133m) Arsenal paid to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United in 2023 — sourcing a like-for-like replacement would be almost impossible.Anderson is an all-round performer and a homegrown English player who has a real chance of starring not only at the World Cup in the next few months, but also on the biggest stages in football for a long time beyond that.If he is sold, it is a moment that will help Forest, as it will promote their standing as a club where young players can develop their careers. Forest gave Anderson the regular first-team football he was missing at Newcastle United.It was initially believed he would thrive best on the left of the three, within the 4-2-3-1 formation Forest have favoured under different managers, but he has evolved into one of the best all-round central midfielders in the Premier League.Replacing Anderson will be tricky, but if Forest hope to land a young player with the potential to grow, Anderson’s story should work in their favour.In January, Forest tried to sign Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney, who won the Championship’s player-of-the-season award. The 23-year-old seems to favour a move to Everton, and Forest’s interest has weakened over recent weeks. Forest also offered £22million for Celtic’s Arne Engels on deadline day four months ago, and the Scottish champions are reportedly preparing for the 22-year-old to leave this summer.While there is a reluctant acceptance that Anderson will depart, Pereira spoke frequently about wanting to keep hold of the majority of his key figures this summer. That stretches beyond those who are most likely to be coveted by other clubs, such as Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Neco Williams.Forest have also gone out of their way to persuade Ibrahim Sangare and Nicolas Dominguez of their importance. Over the past year, Sangare has regularly looked like the player Forest hoped they had signed in 2023, when he was their statement-of-intent addition. The club do not intend to lose his dominant, physical presence in midfield.Ibrahim Sangare should be a key player for Forest next season (Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images)Dynamic and versatile, Dominguez is also highly valued by Pereira. Ryan Yates’ driving presence, physicality and honest aggression will remain a useful asset, and there is also the knowledge that Gibbs-White can be a big influence in numerous roles, whether from his preferred attacking midfield position, wider on the left or even as an orthodox central midfielder.Forest would need to fill the void Anderson would leave, but they also have the basis of a decent midfield, boasting players who bring slightly different qualities. There are other areas where Forest need to strengthen, too, even as they prepare for a season without the demands of playing in Europe.Lorenzo Lucca will return to Napoli following his disappointing half-season loan, and the need for another forward option feels obvious. Pereira and his coaching staff see Chris Wood as a key figure because of his experience, influence and understanding of the top flight. But he will also turn 35 in December and has an ongoing knee issue.Igor Jesus had a fine debut campaign, contributing 16 goals, even if only six of those came in the league. He looked far more at home playing as a No 10, just behind Wood, after he returned from injury. It will be interesting to see how that dynamic grows.Eintracht Frankfurt are yet to make Forest an offer that would persuade them to let Arnaud Kalimuendo move there permanently. Taiwo Awoniyi is a cult figure and, more importantly, remains a useful backup option. But he also only has one year left on his contract.Matz Sels has again been a reliable figure. He was not included in Belgium’s World Cup squad, but his qualities do not go unappreciated in Nottingham, where his save percentage of 70.9 per cent in the Premier League was only bettered (by those who had played more than five games) by Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City (72.1 per cent).Sels’ seven clean sheets were well down on the 13 he kept in 2024-25, when he shared the Golden Glove award, but it came against the backdrop of a chaotic campaign.Forest will likely need to find some new backup for him. Stefan Ortega and Angus Gunn are out of contract and their futures are uncertain. Ortega is likely to want to pursue regular first-team opportunities. John Victor has had a difficult time since joining from Botafogo, culminating in an unfortunate incident that saw him give away a goal and suffer a season-ending injury at Aston Villa in January.Pereira and the other decision-makers at Forest know they must find the answers to these questions — but none are more significant than how to cope if they eventually agree to sell their prize asset.