Both Nottingham Forest and Southampton know how it feels to have your best players lured away by more glamorous destinations.
Not even Brennan Johnson’s adoration for that Garibaldi red shirt was enough to convince the academy graduate to rebuff Tottenham Hotspur’s advances during the summer of 2023.
As for Southampton, you could make quite the XI out of players who left St Mary’s in the last decade. Virgil van Dijk, Luke Shaw, Romeo Lavia, James Ward-Prowse, Nathan Tella, to name but a few.
But that is just the way of it in the football food chain.
At least, backed by those Premier League riches, Nottingham Forest and Southampton can count on far more pulling power and financial muscle than clubs in most of Europe’s other leagues.
Feyenoord, Dutch champions in 2023 and offering Champions League football, simply cannot compete when it comes to the money on offer in England.
And the Rotterdam faithful are in for a nervy few days, with Justin Bijlow and Santiago Gimenez – two of their Eredivisie-winning heroes – attracting interest from across the Channel.
Southampton and Nottingham Forest eye Feyenoord raid
HITC understands that Southampton have submitted a £10 million bid for goalkeeper Bijlow.
Forest submitted a £21 million bid for top scorer Gimenez and, while their opening offer was rejected, talks have continued.
Brian Priske was appointed as Feyenoord’s new head coach recently after Arne Slot left for Liverpool.
And, as the uncertainty surrounding both Bijlow and Gimenez was brought up on Friday, the head coach insisted that he expects both players to remain professional until the last.
“Santi is fully motivated to play for us,” Priske tells NOS.
“Of course, it is an uncertain and challenging period. I focus on the players who are here now and try to get the best out of them. I have the feeling that everyone who is here is involved and professional.”
“(Those exit-linked players must ensure) that they do their job. That’s what they are paid for. If something happens in terms of transfers, we will deal with it then.”
When pressed on Bijlow, the former Portsmouth man directed the reporters back to his earlier comment; ‘You’ll get exactly the same answer as I just gave…
Justin Bijlow and Santiago Gimenez could move to England
Bijlow, who held talks with Manchester United in 2023 before Andre Onana’s arrival at Old Trafford, will reportedly be allowed to leave by a Feyenoord side who have lined up Sparta Rotterdam glovesman Nick Olij as a replacement.
Mexico marksman Gimenez, meanwhile, initially caught the eye of Tottenham after plundering 26 goals last season .
Nottingham Forest struggled in the final third, in contrast, with only Everton, Burnley and Sheffield United mustering fewer than their 49 strikes. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are also in pursuit of Arsenal benchwarmer Eddie Nketiah.
The England international could find himself emerging as Forest’s clear number one striker target if, as some have suggested, Gimenez opts to remain in the Netherlands.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, insists that Nketiah will only leave if the right offer arrives.
“I expect Eddie to train with us today. To be prepared for tomorrow (against Aston Villa),” Arteta tells Football London. “That’s it.
“Whatever happens will happen if it’s good for everybody.”
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