Djibril Sidibe is set to join Greek outfit AEK Athens on a free transfer after the former Everton loanee agreed terms over a move to Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest, as reported by L’Equipe.
You might have heard that Nottingham Forest have had a rather busy summer. Just the 21 signings. Serge Aurier, an impending arrival following the termination of his Villarreal contract, will be number 22.
But the chances of Sidibe taking Forest’s tally of new faces to nearly a quarter of a century since beating Huddersfield Town in May’s play-off final suddenly look slim. According to FootMercato, the 2018 World Cup winner agreed terms with Nottingham Forest in August.
And, yes, the transfer window is closed. But that would not stop Sidibe from arriving at the City Ground, his free-agent status allowing the former Monaco defender to move outside of the usual confines.
L’Equipe, however, say that Sidibe will be plying his trade in Greece rather than England’s East Midlands this season. The 30-year-old is in ‘advanced talks’ with AEK Athens.
Nottingham Forest unlikely to sign World Cup winner Djibril Sidibe now
Now, this may not come as a huge surprise given the impending arrival of another right-back in Aurier. But there is no reason why both players couldn’t form part of the same starting XI at the City Ground.
Aurier, after all, looks well-suited to a wing-back role in Steve Cooper’s 3-4-2-1 formation; a role that maximises his strengths and minimises his well-publicised weaknesses. Sidibe, meanwhile, spent much of his final season at Monaco as a right-sided central defender in a back three.
Then again, with Joe Worrall and Guilian Biancone already competing for that position in Forest’s Garibaldi red, perhaps Sidibe had concerns about joining a club who cannot offer guaranteed, first-team football week-in, week-out.
Nottingham Forest have won just one of six games since promotion. Bournemouth’s thrilling City Ground comeback on Saturday leaves this new-look side in 19th place, above only crisis-club Leicester City.
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