While Nottingham Forest are toiling in the bottom half of the Championship once again, a whole host of players who passed through the City Ground in recent years continue to shine at a far higher level.
Patrick Bamford is now one of the Premier League’s most prolific marksmen, while Matty Cash’s debut season at Aston Villa could hardly have gone better. Furthermore, where would Newcastle United be if it wasn’t for Karl Darlow’s cat-like reflexes?
And, five years after he made his one and only appearance in Garibaldi red – a six minute cameo in a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle in December 2016 – Anel Ahmedhodzic now finds himself at the centre of an all-Italian tug-of-war.
In the red corner, an AC Milan side chasing their first Scudetto since the Max Allegri heyday while boasting some of the most exciting young talent in European football.
In the blue, last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists Atalanta.
“Many clubs followed me and wanted me in January. The Rossoneri (AC Milan) asked for information about me, as a child I idolised Paolo Maldini (now the club’s technical director),” Ahmedhodzic told Gianluca di Marzio after discussing a move to Italy with his fellow Bosnia internationals Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic.
But it seems a discussion with Dejan Kulusevski, the former Atalanta starlet now pulling up trees at Juventus, has twisted his arm.
Despite Milan’s best efforts, Ahmedhodzic is on the verge of joining forces with the beasts of the Bergamo.
“Pjanic and Dzeko told me about Serie A, but above all my friend Kulusevski. Atalanta is the ideal place for a young player who wants to grow,” said the 21-year-old, who has been a revelation since leaving Nottingham Forest for Molde in 2019.
“I can’t wait to test myself.
“My move to Atalanta is not yet official but the talks are now at an advanced stage.”
According to Jeunes Footeaux, an Atalanta side who gave us Franck Kessie, Amad Traore, Alessandro Bastoni and Kulusevski have agreed to pay Molde £10 million. Manchester United could still hijack the deal, however, preparing an £11 million offer of their own.
Five years after Nottingham Forest sold Ahmedhodzic for next to nothing, we can only assume that they never saw this rapid rise coming.
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