Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest have opened talks to sign Slovenian midfielder Domen Crnigoj after Venezia were relegated from Serie A, as reported by Tuttomercatoweb.
With James Garner returning to Manchester United – and expected to get a run out under Erik Ten Hag in pre-season – Steve Cooper’s midfield options are starting to look a little bare with August’s trip to Newcastle United now just six weeks away.
And while Nottingham Forest are expected to make striker Taiwo Awoniyi their new £17.5 million record signing, while holding talks with Mainz and Manchester United for Moussa Niakhate and Dean Henderson respectively, the pursuit of a new central midfielder appeared to be progressing much more slowly.
Until today, that is.
Nottingham Forest in talks to sign Venezia’s Domen Crnigoj
According to reports coming out of Italy, Nottingham Forest have opened talks with 26-year-old Crnigoj. Forest are reportedly ‘confident’ that a deal can be done. Crngoj scored four goals last season even as Venezia finished bottom of the Serie A table.
Crnigoj, who has 24 caps for the Slovenian national team, is a versatile, ambitious footballer, one who can also play out wide on the right as well as in a deeper role. He’s a more-than-decent striker of a ball too, and is capable of locating the back of the net with both feet.
“Crnigoj is part of the soul of (the club),” says former Venezia coach Paolo Zanetti. “Crnigoj has been in part of the squad for a long time and is helping in an important way. Ever since we signed him as a free agent (from Swiss outfit Lugano) he has made a decisive contribution.”
Forest’s pursuit of Crnigoj could signal the end of their interest in another Serie A playmaker, Spezia’s Guilio Maggiore.
The £6 million-rated Maggiore, who recently attracted interest from Inter Milan, will not extend his contract at his boyhood club. But Maggiore could replace the seemingly Southampton-bound Mattias Svanberg at Bologna instead.
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