Denmark international Oliver Abildgaard ‘wants to leave’ Rubin Kazan amid interest from Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest, the Russian side’s general manager Rustem Saimanov says in quotes reported by the Daily Record.
With Orel Mangala, Remo Freuler and Lewis O’Brien arriving, you might have assumed Nottingham Forest were done as far as midfield reinforcements are concerned.
But perhaps not.
A £17 million bid has reportedly been launched for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Djibril Sow, while Forest also made an offer for the Everton-bound Idrissa Gana Gueye. Ruslan Malinovskyi is an option too, alongside former loan star James Garner.
Could Nottingham Forest bring in Oliver Abildgaard?
26-year-old Abildgaard is another name to keep an eye on between now and September’s transfer deadline. According to Fabrizio Romano, Nottingham Forest are one of many suitors. Bundesliga newcomers Werder Bremen and Serie A outfit Sampdoria are also keen.
And, after Rubin Kazan were relegated from the Russian Premier League, Abildgaard has his heart set on a fresh start. He should find one, too, even if the window closes in just two weeks.
“We are in talks with both of them (Abildgaard and the Celtic-linked Sead Haksabanovic),” explains Saimanov. “Of course, they both want to leave.”
The Rubin director rules out letting Abildgaard leave on a free, however. The 6ft 4ins ball-winner has two years left on his contract, having joined from Danish outfit Aalborg a couple of seasons ago.
“We aren’t letting them go for nothing because we want some money for them,” Saimanov adds. “We are waiting on bids.
“Our situation is extremely worrying. Our budget has halved. I regard myself as being in a crisis management role. Our players all arrive for free now and no club has given us a single penny for transfers.”
Abildgaard won’t be going anywhere for nothing, then, but it is unlikely Rubin will hold out for a particularly substantial fee.
Haksabanovic, for instance, could now join Celtic for just £4 million having joined Rubin for a fee closer to £6 million as recently as May 2021.
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