Nottingham Forest and Swansea City are interested in signing Mathieu Peybernes from Spanish second tier outfit Almeria, according to Goal, with West Brom also linked.
With Forest looking to ensure they go one step further next season and retain their place in the play-offs until the very end, Sabri Lamouchi’s side have certainly made an eye-catching start to the transfer window.
In Lyle Taylor, Taylor Blackett and one-time loanee Jack Colback, the East Midland giants have picked up three proven Championship performers without spending a penny.
Bringing Peybernes to the City Ground, however, would break from tradition somewhat.
After all, the 29-year-old centre-back has never played on British soil before, currently contracted to big-spending, Saudi-backed Almeria, after spells in Belgium, Turkey and his native France.
Standing at 6ft 2ins, Peybernes is a fearsome physical presence and played a starring role as Lugo, the side he joined on loan in the summer of 2019, narrowly avoided relegation to the Spanish third tier last season.
Nottingham Forest are not exactly short of central defenders, but neither Michael Hefele nor Yohan Benalouane appear to have a future at the City Ground.
Michael Dawson, meanwhile, is 36 these days and cannot be expected to go to war every three days.
Peybernes, voted Player of the Year by Lugo fans, is also a target for Celta Vigo and an overachieving Getafe outfit who reached the Europa League round-of-16 this season while finishing fifth in La Liga.
Marca claimed in July that West Brom are also keen on the £1 million-rated defender, who admitted to GFFN that he ‘dreams’ of playing in England.
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