Nottingham Forest have seen a second bid rejected by Portuguese giants Benfica as the Premier League outfit look to bring Florentino Luis to the City Ground this month.
After failing with an opening offer this week, Nottingham Forest received a similar response when they submitted a new and improved bid in the region of £30 million.
Benfica, as the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea discovered not so long ago, are not going to be bullied into selling one of their prized assets.
Liverpool were forced to stump up a fee rising to £85 million for Darwin Nunez. Chelsea, meanwhile, had to trigger the £106 million release clause in Enzo Fernandez’s release clause on the back of the Argentine’s outstanding performances at the Qatar World Cup.
Nottingham Forest, however, are not ready to give up on Florentino Luis just yet. Record believes that Steve Cooper’s two-time European champions are likely to come knocking with a third bid; Benfica rejecting £25 million and £30 million offers for a player who could yet become one of the big stories of the window’s final fortnight.
Nottingham Forest make new Florentino Luis bid
23-year-old Florentino was integral as Benfica claimed the Primeira Liga title last season. His average of 2.5 successful tackles per game were among the best in the division; Florentino’s telescopic limbs and superb awareness providing the defensive foundation for Benfica’s more attacking players to build attacks upon.
“Florentino is a young player who has exceptional talent,” former Benfica coach Joao Tralhao once told Bernabeu Digital.
“From very early on, we realized that Florentino was on the road to becoming an elite player. I see Florentino as a logical option (for Real Madrid). He has a profile very similar to that of Casemiro. And in Europe he is, without a doubt, one of the best in his position.”
Leeds United showed an interest in Florentino back in 2020, as confirmed by the club’s former director of football Victor Orta. The one-time Monaco loanee has also been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton.
According to Record, however, Nottingham Forest are the only club pursuing Florentino right now; the Midland giants seemingly expanding their defensive midfield search beyond PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangare and Zenit St Petersburg’s Wilmar Barrios.
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