Nottingham Forest have turned to Sampdoria’s Serie A shot-stopper Emil Audero as the Premier League outfit look to bring in a new goalkeeper before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, according to the Daily Mail (31 January, 11.27am).
With Dean Henderson still facing up to six weeks out with injury, and with 36-year-old Wayne Hennessey struggling to truly convince in his absence, Nottingham Forest are hoping to strengthen their options between the sticks before the clock strikes 11pm.
Felipe and Jonjo Shelvey will sign on deadline day from Atletico Madrid and Newcastle United respectively; adding experience in the defensive and midfield areas. Expect focus to turn, now, to the goalkeeping market.
And, with the Mail reporting that Forest could miss out on PSG duo Sergio Rico and Keylor Navas, the two-time European champions are being forced to cast their net a little wider.
Nottingham Forest want Emil Audero of Serie A strugglers Sampdoria
Audero, an Indonesian-born former Italy U21 international, is another on Steve Cooper’s radar. Formerly of Juventus, Audero has impressed since joining Sampdoria for £17 million back in 2020. Samp may have no choice but to cash in however; they are currently second-from bottom in Italy’s top flight, while locked in a precarious financial state.
Sampdoria have accumulated just nine points from 20 matches. One suspects Audero would seize the opportunity to jump from a seemingly sinking ship. Nottingham Forest are hardly safe from relegation themselves, but are undoubtedly a club heading in the right direction. What’s more, they have lost just once in their last seven Premier League games.
According to The Mail, Forest have turned to Audero after Paris Saint-Germain got cold feet about letting Navas go to the City Ground. This is despite PSG coach Christophe Galtier suggesting late last week that the three-time Champions League-winning Real Madrid legend would be allowed to leave the French capital.
“Keylor is a great competitor. He has been exemplary since the start of the season,” Galtier said. “He was named (our) goalkeeper for the Coupe de France. I have complete confidence in him.
“Afterwards, there is what he feels. The sports management and the president are listening to what he wants to do. We will see the day after the closing of the transfer window (where his future lies).
“Because of the good man he is and his career, we must respect him and listen to him.”
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