Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Audero was offered a pay rise at Nottingham Forest before turning down a potential £9 million January switch to the Premier League outfit, according to Calciomercato.
Who said loyalty is dead in football?
Sampdoria’s position may look hopeless – relegation a certainty for a crisis-hit club with serious financial fears – but Audero was never going to abandon his team-mates in their hour of need.
According to Calciomercato, the former Italy U21 international would have earned a substantial pay rise at the City Ground. Nottingham Forest wanted Audero on loan initially, albeit with a £9 million purchase clause in his contract. One that would be automatically triggered if Steve Cooper’s side avoided the drop.
A possibility which appears to be growing with every week; Sunday’s hard-fought 1-0 triumph over Leeds United lifting the two-time European Champions up to 13th place.
Emil Audero rejected Nottingham Forest to stay at Serie A strugglers Sampdoria
Audero, however, remains committed to Sampdoria, even if his departure feels like a matter of time. The Blucerchiati are mired in the relegation zone, and nine points from safety already. If, or when, they descend into Serie B, the talented shot-stopper signed from Juventus for around £17 million is likely to be one of the first to be sold in order to ease Sampdoria’s financial concerns.
For now, however, Audero remains a Samp player. Much to the relief of a fanbase used to disappointment.
“Thank you for your willingness to share this difficult moment with us,” beams an emotional Enzo Tirotto, formerly the head of Sampdoria’s ‘Ultras’ group (SampNews24).
“Thank you for not abandoning the stormy ship, for the example you set and are setting in the locker room. (And) thank you for this injection of pride you gave us with a simple ‘no’.
“You are experiencing first-hand how much the Sampdorians are capable of gratitude towards those who show us so much attachment. Here, you have entered the immortals.”
Keylor Navas ‘outstanding’ on Nottingham Forest debut
Nottingham Forest, who also missed out on Anderlecht’s Hendrik van Crombrugge, eventually signed Keylor Navas from PSG instead. A three-time Champions League-winning Real Madrid hero; as consolation prizes go, there are certainly worse ones.
Navas was superb during a one-sided first-half as Forest held on to beat Leeds on the banks of the Trent.
“You don’t need me to tell you about his experience and the success he had,” Cooper beams. “But he will still have wanted to do well in his first game for the club. And he did. He was outstanding in the first half.
“The obvious talking points are his saves, and rightly. He deserves all the credit for that. But I loved his composure in the game as well; his game-management and his decision-making.
“I’m delighted he’s got up and running. It was something which helped us win the game, for sure. We’ve had a good few days with him. All he’s shown is a good work ethic, a humility and a desire to jump on board.
“We’re really pleased he’s here. We’re really looking forward to working with him now.
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