Q: What to do if I was advised to transfer my manuscript to an unknown journal?

I am not sure if I understand your question clearly. I see two possible scenarios:

1. The editor simply said that the paper would be transferred to another journal, without mentioning the name of the journal.

2. The editor mentioned the name of the journal where the paper would be transferred, but you have not heard of this journal before, so you wish to ask if he/she can suggest any other journal.

Since I am unsure about which situation you are facing, I will explain what you should do in each situation.

Scenario 1: You can write to the editor asking for more information about the journal where your paper would be transferred. You can then take a decision accordingly.

Scenario 2: Since the editor has already suggested a journal, it might not be a good idea to ask him/her for more options. In that case, if you are unsure, you can ask your supervisor or choose not to submit to the suggested journal. It's better that you yourself select another target journal to submit your paper to.

Related reading:

• Should I transfer my manuscript as suggested by the journal that rejected my paper?
• Should I transfer my manuscript as suggested by the journal editor?