Britt Assombalonga could make his return to the Forest squad as early as Saturday after more than a year out injured.
The striker made a goalscoring comeback for the club’s under-21 side earlier this week as he continues his rehabilitation from a serious knee problem.
And head coach Paul Williams told Notts TV the £5.5m club record signing could even figure as a substitute against Brentford.
“He’s got minutes under his belt now and that’s what he needs to do now – train hard play in games and recover.
“His knee’s fine now – we just want to get him fitter and hopefully back in the team as soon as possible.
“He could well be [on the bench this weekend] it just depends how he comes through training over the next couple of days.
“It is close – we just need to monitor him and look after him and see what’s right for him.”
Any appearance in the squad by the powerful front man would be seen as a major boost, with Forest struggling to find the net in recent weeks.
Video: Henri Lansbury says he is ‘itching to return’
Another player on the way to full fitness is midfielder Henri Lansbury, who is in the final stages of overcoming an ankle problem.
He said: “I’m available for selection, so fingers crossed.
“I feel good, the ankle feels strong and we’ll soon test it out when I get back out there.”
