Not every deal can be as simple as the one that took Jota Silva from Vitoria de Guimaraes to Nottingham Forest.
Despite interest from a host of other Premier League clubs – HITC confirmed that Wolves and Leicester City were among them – Nuno Espirito Santo completed a deal to snap up his compatriot in the final week of July.
Jota Silva joined for a bargain £6 million, Vitoria opting not to stand in the Portugal international’s way while head coach Rui Borges applauds him out the door.
But if Nottingham Forest had hoped that their pursuit of fellow wideman Ramon Sosa would be equally straightforward, then the two-time European Champions were very much mistaken.
HITC understands that Forest have also held talks with the speedy Paraguayan.
While Sosa’s head coach has already penned on an emotional farewell of his own – Walter Ribonetto ‘extremely grateful’ while admitting that he will be missed at CA Talleres – Nottingham Forest still have a long way to go before their latest summer deal can be officially rubber-stamped.
Nottingham Forest hope to strike Ramon Sosa deal
Tallares, per La Voz, are reportedly holding out for a fee that could rise to £16 million
President Andres Fassi – not for the first time – insisted on Tuesday that Sosa will be going nowhere unless Forest agree to meet their demands. He last week indicated that the City Ground outfit had looked to alter the terms of the deal late on in discussions.
“I will travel (to England) if what we agreed is the same as what was written,” Fassi said. “For now, it is not like that. And they changed everything!”
As for Sosa, well he can do nothing but sit, wait and hope.
La Voz now claim that Nottingham Forest had agreed a deal, only for discussions to stall at the eleventh hour. The good news, however, is that both Talleres and Sosa are still looking to make a transfer work.
The silky 24-year-old attacker was spotted lingering away from the rest of Ribonetto’s first team squad at Tuesday’s training session.
La Voz say that was left out of the main training session in order to avoid an injury that would surely scupper his hopes of a move to the Premier League for good.
Chelsea and Everton have been keen in the past
While Jota Silva is at his most effective cutting in from the left onto his right boot, Ramon Sosa is a left-footer who likes to drift infield from the right.
He scored seven goals and set up seven more his last 21 games for Talleres. Sosa’s agent, meanwhile, has confirmed that both Chelsea and Everton had expressed their interest earlier in 2024, though Nottingham Forest now appear to be in pole position.
Chelsea are focusing their attention elsewhere. Everton, meanwhile, appear to have ruled themselves out of the running after signing Jesper Lindstrom – who announced himself with a glorious pre-season free-kick against Preston North End – on loan from Napoli.
Sosa would provide competition for Callum Hudson-Odoi on the left at Forest, while Vitoria’s 15-goal top scorer from last season will ease the burden on Anthony Elanga on the opposite flank.
“We can see how excited Jota is to continue his career journey beyond Portugal where he has enjoyed such a strong period in the Primeira Liga with Vitoria Guimaraes,” Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson tells the Forest website.
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