£2.5m man claims England ‘interest’ amid West Brom and Nottingham Forest links

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Reported Nottingham Forest and West Bromwich Albion target Mathieu Peybernes has admitted to Onze Mondail that there are offers on the table from clubs in England with a week remaining in the transfer window.

This time next month, the journeyman defender will be celebrating his 30th birthday.

And he doesn’t need us to tell him that time is not exactly on his side, with Peybernes determined to play first division football before it is too late.

Marca reported in August that Nottingham Forest or West Brom could trigger his £2.5 million release clause, after the former France U21 international won the Player of the Year award during a fine loan spell at Lugo in 2019/20.

But, with Peybernes making it clear that he wants to play in the top flight, you’d imagine that he would choose West Brom over Forest every day of the week.

“There has been interest from different clubs. There are a few days of transfer window, it is the money time, where everything is done,” says Peybernes after being made available for transfer by Segunda outfit Almeria (Marca).

“I have never hidden my desire to play in the first division. I want to reach the highest level. There was interest from English clubs. What matters most to me is having a serious long-term project, seeing a future with a club.

“I’ve moved around a lot lately, it hasn’t always been easy. Everyone needs stability. It is the sporting project that will count more than the destination itself.

“It’s true that I haven’t played (in England) yet! The Premier League, we all know what it is – a very competitive league, one of the best or even the best league. It’s a place where you have to be physically ready to win.”

Of course, West Brom are a Premier League team these days, although they will have to improve defensively if they want to remain one.

Forest, meanwhile, missed out on a place in the play-offs during a disastrous end to 2019/20 and that miserable form has continued in the first few weeks of the current campaign. Sabri Lamouchi’s side have lost three out of three thus far.

Swansea City are also allegedly interested.