Omar Richards is set to undergo a medical at Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest after the £8.5 million-rated defender skipped training at Bayern Munich today, as reported by BILD.
In the space of 24 hours, Nottingham Forest have successfully turned a potential weakness into a position of real strength.
The departures of Max Lowe and Gaetan Bong left Steve Cooper crying out for a first-team left-back with August’s top-flight opener against Newcastle United less than a month away. But, on Thursday, Forest agreed fees for not one but two players capable of playing on the left-hand side of Cooper’s 3-5-2 formation.
The versatile, two-footed Neco Williams is arriving from Liverpool for £17 million. And a further £8.5 million will go towards the London-born Richards.
Formerly of Reading, the 24-year-old joined Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in a shock free transfer last summer but – given the extent of the competition at the Allianz Arena – he was never really afforded the opportunity to emulate Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho on German soil.
Richards started just five league matches as Bayern secured a tenth successive domestic title. Another seven appearances came from the bench.
Omar Richards leaving Bayern Munich for Nottingham Forest
According to BILD, the one-time Crystal Palace and West Ham target was not at training on Thursday. A return to England is now imminent, even if personal terms are yet to be agreed. Richards also has a flight chartered as he prepares to undergo medical tests in England’s East Midlands.
“Truthfully, no (I never thought I’d play for a club like Bayern),” he told talkSPORT. “I thought he (my agent) was making it up.”
Richards and Williams will become summer signings five and six at Nottingham Forest. They follow in the footsteps of Moussa Niakhate, Giulian Biancone, Dean Henderson and record £17.5 million arrival Taiwo Awoniyi.
Yusuf Yazici could be addition number seven.
Nottingham Forest have entered talks with the Lille playmaker after he scored eight goals in 10 goals on loan at CSKA Moscow. Interestingly, Yazici was once labelled an ‘amazing number ten’ by none other than Mesut Ozil.
Ukraine striker Artem Dovbyk is another option.
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