Brice Samba was instrumental to Nottingham Forest in their stunning promotion back to the Premier League, however, the goalkeeper could now be set to leave the City Ground.
According to the Athletic, the 28-year-old shot-stopper has opted to reject a new contract with Forest following a lack of respect behind the scenes for Samba, who could still remain at the club should Steve Cooper’s side make a U-turn on their mentality towards the keeper.
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As per the report, Samba is open to staying at Forest given his ties to the city of Nottingham and his incredible relationship with the fans, with the Le Havre academy graduate one of the most beloved players for Forest supporters.
Indeed, this transfer saga could become quite messy should Forest fail to take the appropriate steps, and should this happen, who could Samba join in the summer should he leave the historic England club?
Crystal Palace
Clubs needing a top goalkeeper seem to come in waves, with some summers filled with teams scrambling for a quality no. 1 whilst others are calmer, and this year could see the former happen, with Crystal Palace one such side looking for a new option between the sticks.
Reports indicate that Patrick Vieira is keen on signing a new starting goalkeeper for the Eagles, and with Samba likely available this summer for cheap, the former Caen star could be an outstanding upgrade on the likes of Jack Butland and Vicente Guaita.
Fulham
A fellow Championship side who won promotion last season, Fulham will be looking to ensure they don’t go straight back down to the second-tier in the upcoming campaign, and whilst Marek Rodak is a good keeper, Samba is a noticeable upgrade.
The 28-year-old is in the prime of his career, and with Fulham a side who have historically recruited heavily in their homecoming Premier League summer, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Cottagers make a move for Samba in the coming weeks.
RC Lens
From two hypothetical sides to a club who have actually been reportedly linked to Samba, Ligue 1 side RC Lens have exploded onto the scene in France in the past two seasons, and the ambitious Pas-de-Calais team show no signs of slowing down.
A seventh-place finish ahead of the likes of Olympique Lyonnais and LOSC Lille puts Lens in an exciting position for the future, and if they manage to sign Samba, the French side could start to dream of a European place in Ligue 1 next season.
Southampton
Back to England now, and another Premier League side in need of a new starting keeper is Southampton, with Fraser Forster reportedly close to joining Tottenham on a free transfer, meaning there is an obvious spot for Samba.
With Alex McCarthy just returning from a long-term injury, Samba, who is four years younger than the Saints shot-stopper, the Forest star could easily become Southampton’s starting keeper for next season, and it wouldn’t be too surprising if Ralph Hasenhuttl was already thinking of a move.
West Ham
The third and final London-based Premier League side on this list, West Ham’s goalkeeping situation is an interesting one, with veteran Lukasz Fabianski seemingly getting better with age whilst Alphonse Areola’s loan future remains up in the air.
Indeed, a new goalkeeper looks set to join the London Stadium side this summer, and with Samba potentially on the market, the Forest star could be an excellent option for David Moyes in the Premier League or in Europe in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
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