Nottingham Forest are holding talks with Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez and Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah while also agreeing a deal to bring in Alex Moreno from Premier League rivals Aston Villa.
- Exclusive from Graeme Bailey
The two-time European Champions have a habit of making a flurry of late moves in the transfer window. And the summer of 2024 looks unlikely to be any different.
After reinforcing their backline ranks with the 6ft-plus giants Nikola Milenkovic and Carlos Miguel, easing the pressure on Morgan Gibbs-White with Elliot Anderson, and landing two tricky wingers in Jota Silva and Ramon Sosa, the final week of August will centre on centre-forwards.
Nottingham Forest, HITC understands, have now spoken to up to four targets for the number nine role.
Among those are Santiago Gimenez and Eddie Nketiah.
Nottingham Forest eye Santiago Gimenez and Eddie Nketiah
A £21 million bid has already been rejected for the former.
Gimenez, previously linked by Real Madrid and admired by Tottenham Hotspur before Dominic Solanke’s arrival, scored 26 goals last season while netting four in three at the start of the new campaign.
“I think he is a player who will also score goals in the Premier League,” Feyenoord legend Mario Been tells ESPN” I think he is a striker who can still make a step. He is only 23 years old.”
Arsenal, meanwhile, demanded a staggering £50 million for Nketiah earlier in the summer. With time ticking down, it remains to be seen if The Gunners are now willing to soften their demands. Marseille were scared off, while Bournemouth opted to replace Solanke with Porto’s Evanilson.
Nottingham Forest have seen an opening offer for Nketiah turned down too.
But, like with Gimenez, talks are ongoing. Arsenal may be unlikely to stand in the academy graduate’s way, especially with Kai Havertz establishing himself as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice striker and Gabriel Jesus back to fitness.
“We need more (signings),” Nuno Espirito Santo told the Nottingham Post last month, his demand for ‘new wingers’ answered by the arrivals of Jota and Sosa. “Not too many, but I think we still need some things.
“You always have to add the right pieces. There is no point in bringing (new players) in just because. We need to nail everything down on the players we bring in.
“All the signings we already made – and are possibly going to make – the idea is to put them inside the group, know the idea of the team and what we want from them and their tasks.
“The levels of performance are not very important now. All of the players we sign, it is because we believe they can give something different to our squad.”
Alex Moreno arriving from Aston Villa
One player Nottingham Forest have agreed to sign, HITC understands, is Alex Moreno of Aston Villa. A deal has been agreed for the swashbuckling Spaniard. Villa have agreed to let Moreno go on loan, with an option-to-buy clause in his contract.
The former Real Betis flyer was a big hit after joining in a £13 million deal back in January 2023. His impact was then stalled by injury, however, with Moreno now third-choice behind Lucas Digne and summer signing Ian Maatsen.
Moreno was not part of Aston Villa’s squad for Saturday’s 2-1 win at West Ham United. Head coach Unai Emery has now confirmed that his departure is imminent.
“We signed Ian Maatsen and were speaking with some different players in this position,” Emery told the Birmingham Mail. “Now, we have difficulties to manage with three specific left full-backs.
“Alex Moreno is a player who he is now close to leaving.”
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