Nottingham Forest manager Dougie Freedman has warned the club's Championship rivals that his side will only get stronger as the season progresses.
The Reds have largely been tipped for a season of mid-table security after finishing 14th last term, while they have also been restricted in the transfer market this summer due to an embargo.
Freedman, though, is confident that the return of injured trio Chris Cohen, Andy Reid and Britt Assombalonga during the coming months will make the team even better.
"We are only going to get stronger. We are at our weakest right now. But we are only going to get stronger as the season goes on," he told the Nottingham Post.
"We will get stronger physically. But we will also get stronger as a squad. We will have Reid back and Cohen back. We will have a couple of new signings in the building. Oliver Burke will have progressed. Tyler Walker will have progressed.
"I have one or two other young players who will get stronger, who I don't want to mention, as their egos need knocking down a little bit. They will be there or thereabouts, as the season goes on. So, we will get stronger."
Forest begin the season at Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday evening.
Steven Toplis
