Nottingham Forest could find themselves in a transfer battle with Serie A champions Napoli after securing their Premier League status as Udinese demand in excess of £22 million for striker Beto.
Despite a flurry of goals in recent fixtures – two against Chelsea, three vs Brighton and four put past Southampton – Steve Cooper’s side are still averaging just one goal per game in England’s top flight.
And regardless of the best efforts of Morgan Gibbs-White, Brennan Johnson and the increasingly-influential Taiwo Awoniyi, improvements will be required in the final third if Nottingham Forest are to dodge the dreaded ‘second season syndrome’.
So this is where Beto comes in.
One of Europe’s more underrated number nines; Beto has hit double figures during both of his Serie A seasons at mid-table Udinese. He has ten goals in 22 starts across 2022/23.
Comparisons with Victor Osimhen have not been in short supply, due to Beto’s salmon-like leap and emphatic finishing skills. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, Scudetto winners Napoli have identified the former Portimonense frontman as a potential replacement for their much-coveted Nigerian.
Will Nottingham Forest beat Napoli in Beto race?
Mondo Udinese claim that Napoli have already put forward an offer of £22 million. Udinese want more than that, however; the report suggesting that Luciano Spalletti’s side may have to compete with a ‘monstrous’ offer from a Nottingham Forest side who secured their Premier League status during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
Beto, Fabrizio Romano reports, has a £30 million release clause in his contract. One that, if Forest were to trigger, would make the 25-year-old their second-most expensive signing of all time. Behind only Gibbs-White.
“Beto and (team-mate Lazar) Samardzic are players with great prospects. They would fit well in a team like Napoli,” believes Udinese director Pierpaolo Marino.
“But they also have admirers in other parts of the world.
“Beto could very well be Osimhen’s heir. He’s also young and can improve. He would certainly fit into the purchase models that (Napoli director Cristiano) Giuntoli made last summer.”
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