Zenit St Petersburg’s chairman has dismissed ‘nonsense’ reports suggesting WIlmar Barrios could leave the Russian Premier League champions for Nottingham Forest this month.
With Bayern Munich joining Paris Saint-Germain in pursuit of Steve Cooper’s leading midfield target – a deal for PSV enforcer Ibrahim Sangare feeling increasingly fanciful with every day that passes – Nottingham Forest appear to be doing the sensible thing and turning their attention to alternative options.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the two-time European champions submitted a £3.5 million bid for Wilmar Barrios last week. There remains a sizeable gap between Forest’s offer and Zenit’s valuation, however. The Russian giants want at least £13 million.
And, when quizzed on those reports, chairman Alexander Medvedev was quick to dismiss suggestions that Barrios could still end up at the City Ground before the window closes in around three weeks’ time.
Nottingham Forest make Wilmar Barrios bid
“We don’t comment on nonsense,” Medvedev tells Sport24.
Barrios, capped 54 times by Colombia, has accumulated no fewer than five Russian Premier League titles since joining Zenit St Petersburg from Argentine giants Boca Juniors back in 2019. The tough-tackling 29-year-old should come substantially cheaper than Sangare, who has a £32 million release clause in his PSV contract.
Then again, it remains to be seen if Nottingham Forest are willing to stump up an eight-figure sum for a man who, while offering vast experience on and off the pitch, will celebrate his 30th birthday in October.
“Four million euros for Barrios is not enough,” former Russia international Dmitry Sennikov tells RB Sport. “There is no point in considering such an offer. If (Forest) offer 15 million euros, then why not let Barrios go?
“But 4 million euros is simply ridiculous. He is a high-class football player.”
Zenit are unlikely to be in any rush to sell Barrios, having already accepted a mega-money offer from Saudi Arabia for last season’s top scorer and talisman Malcom.
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