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Nottingham Forest will be a dangerous side in the Championship next season – if their forward line has the courage to play with freedom.

That is the message from Aitor Karanka, who believes the work the club have done in the transfer market over the summer will transform the Reds’ attacking threat for the coming campaign.

Forest have signed proven goal scorers Lewis Grabban and Hillal Soudani, while also adding three exciting young players in Gil Dias, Joao Carvalho and Diogo Goncalves to their squad, which has transformed the options Karanka will have at his disposal in the final third.

It remains early days, but all five players demonstrated hints of their potential during Forest’s pre-season training camp in Spain, while Joe Lolley, Matty Cash, Daryl Murphy, Arvin Appiah and Virgil Gomis also provided a reminder of what they can offer.

Having made his side organised and hard to beat last season, Karanka is convinced Forest now have the attacking threat to add to that – and has urged his players to play with freedom, to make the most of their abilities.

“It is very different to last season, because the work we did on organisation was nice,” said Karanka. “We were a difficult side to beat.

“But now, when you have those options up front, it is easier. It will be difficult for me to pick the first XI and for the players who will be the attacking four.

“All the players in attacking areas can play in different positions. I told them and I will continue to tell them that the players up front will all be free.

“With their movement, we can be really dangerous.

“I do not want the number 10 to feel as though he must always be number 10, I don’t want the number nine to feel as though he must always be there… I don’t want the wingers to stay out on the wings always.

“I want them to come inside, I want the full-backs to push on… I like to have good movement, I like them to play with freedom and Hillal (Soudani) is one of those players who can play in a number of different positions. They can all do it.”

Soudani and Dias both scored their first goals for the club in the 3-0 win over Malaga and Karanka believes there is significance in that, even within a pre-season friendly.

“Always, for the players who are used to scoring goals, it is important for them to score,” he said. “If you are used to scoring goals and you do not manage to, the pressure starts to arrive and people will demand those goals.

“It is important for them to get goals.

“When you are confident you can score at any time. Now we have the quality that we have, any single one of our players can score goals.”

Karanka admits selecting his team could be a major problem for him, with the options he now has. But it is an issue he is happy to face.

“During the week, during the course of the season, they will show me and tell me who is ready to play in every game,” he said.

“My aim is to arrive at August 4, with the same problem as I have today. Because if the league started tomorrow, I would have a real problem picking my first XI. And that is what you always want.”