Aro Muric shone for Premier League winners Manchester City last season but is he heading to the Championship with Nottingham Forest?
A short-term move away from Manchester City could be the making of Arijanet Muric.
The 20-year-old is one of the most promising young goalkeepers anywhere in European football and forced his way into Pep Guardiola’s first team plans last season to great effect. The Swiss-born shot-stopper made five appearances, all coming in the EFL Cup, and he kept four clean sheets en route to the final.
A goalkeeper blessed with brilliant reactions and real composure with the ball at his feet, Muric highlighted his penalty-saving abilities too in the quarter-final victory against Leicester City.
So no wonder he has caught Nottingham Forest’s eye. According to The Mail, Martin O’Neil wants to add Muric to his squad after watching the youngster produce a fine performance as the Kosovo national team beat Bulgaria on Monday.
“He’s been an important player for us to be where we are. Leicester with the penalties, he was incredible,” Guardiola, who has blooded the likes of Pedro, Sergio Busquets and Joshua Kimmich in his coaching career, told The Metro in February.
“We trust him, that’s why he is second keeper today. We didn’t look to buy anybody in the winter market.”
It seems O’Neill trusts him too.
Should Muric adapt to the unforgiving Championship habitat, he should prove to be a substantial upgrade on the gifted but inconsistent Costel Pantilimon while potentially providing the platform for a much-needed promotion push.
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