Nottingham Forest have now reportedly made a bold move to bolster their ranks ahead of the 2025/26 campaign with a bid already having gone in for one future star to join Nuno Espírito Santo‘s revolution at the City Ground, it has been claimed.
Nottingham Forest on course for Europe
In what is likely to be the shock of the Premier League season, Nottingham Forest are on course to qualify for Champions League football next campaign if they are able to carry their form into the final part of the season.
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Nottingham Forest keen on signing “exceptional” £30m Premier League player
The Tricky Trees still hold an active interest in a player they targeted last summer.
As it stands, the City Ground outfit sit third in the top flight, just three points behind Arsenal and four points clear of Chelsea, while they have a further two-point cushion to Manchester City and Newcastle United in fifth and sixth place respectively.
With Champions League football likely to be available for the top five finishers, the Garibaldi are in an excellent position to qualify but opted not to strengthen in January in a bid to try and bolster that hope despite links to Matheus Cunha and Yoane Wissa.
Earlier in the month, John Percy revealed that owner “[Evangelos] Marinakis did make it clear that funds were available” in January but that Nuno opted to continue with his smaller squad rather than risk making a mistake in the winter market.
Those funds are also likely to be there in the summer as Forest look to continue their ascent up the Football League to challenge for major honours once more under the stewardship of the Greek owner, and now an idea of their ambition may have just been provided.
Nottingham Forest make £30m+ bid for defender
That comes as a report in Spain claims that Forest have tabled a €40m (£32m) bid to sign Real Madrid sensation Raul Asencio after he shot to prominence this season.
The Garibaldi have enjoyed an excellent defensive partnership at the City Ground after adding Nikola Milenkovic to their ranks over the summer, and their 27 goals conceded is a key reason behind their success this season.
|
Fewest goals conceded in the Premier League 2024/25 |
|
|---|---|
|
Liverpool |
21 |
|
Arsenal |
22 |
|
Nottingham Forest |
27 |
|
Bournemouth |
28 |
|
Everton |
28 |
However, they seem keen to bolster their ranks further, with the report claiming that the 21-year-old Spaniard has caught their eye, with his performance in the Madrid derby seeing him hailed a “beast” by Rising Stars.
Indeed, it is claimed that Forest have tabled a “concrete and ambitious offer” and “are willing to pay 40 million euros” to sign the 21-year-old centre-back.
It is added that Real Madrid are yet to reply to the offer and “have not made a definitive decision on the player’s future” as they weigh up offering him a new contract in the Spanish capital.
If Forest are able to pull off a deal to sign one of Real Madrid’s most promising youngsters and a Los Blancos academy graduate, it would represent quite the coup and only serve to continue the rapid upward trajectory of the City Ground side.
