Nottingham Forest are desperate to keep Matty Cash for their Championship challenge but West Ham could offer him an immediate route to the Premier League.
West Ham United have made a £12 million bid for Nottingham Forest right-back Matty Cash, according to Sky Sports, as they look to steal a march on Southampton and AC Milan.
A City Ground hero might have signed a new long-term contract in the autumn but that has not stopped a number of suitors from making moves to lure the Slough-born youngster away from Sabri Lamouchi’s play-off hopefuls.
Cash, who has been converted form a winger into a rampaging right-back with great effect by Forest’s French tactician, has emerged on the radar of two Premier League clubs – not to mention seven-time European champions Milan.
West Ham are the first to show their hand, however, with a £12 million offer arriving on Nottingham Forest’s door on Friday. The Hammers are willing to pay an initial £10 million, with a further £2 million in add-ons.
And this is certainly directly linked to the fact that Pablo Zabaleta, 13 years Cash’s senior, is entering the final few months of his career.
Furthermore, Ryan Fredericks has done little to suggest that he has the defensive discipline to be West Ham’s number one right-back for the years to come.
Cash, while a former winger, has impressed with his diligence at the back and his tough-tackling style of late and working under a pragmatic coach like David Moyes should improve his positional sense and awareness even further.
But with Forest midway through an exhilarating promotion challenge, it might take more than £12 million to convince the former European kings to, pardon the pun, cash in.
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