Could the Sheffield Wednesday star feature on the shortlists of Huddersfield, Reading or Derby County?
Fernando Forestieri’s omission from Sheffield Wednesday’s squad to face Queens Park Rangers on Saturday has prompted many Owls fans to open themselves up to the forward’s sale.
When firing, Forestieri is Wednesday’s undisputed talisman, but his unpredictable temperament is starting to wear thin.
And with the Owls bound by financial fair play as they seek to add to a squad in urgent need of refreshment, the Argentina-born player is now being viewed as a potential solution to the problem.
So where could he end up? HITC Sport takes a look…
Huddersfield Town
While Forestieri is certainly good enough to play in the Premier League, his unique style is likely to limit his number of top-flight suitors. A natural number 10, rather than an out-and-out striker or winger, the 27-year-old is perhaps best suited to a 4-2-3-1 system such as the one employed by Huddersfield. The Terriers tried and failed to sign Chelsea’s Izzy Brown this summer and the Wednesday man may not be a bad alternative.
Reading
Reading are still looking to add to their attacking options this summer, with Fulham’s Sone Aluko among those linked. Should they fail to lure Aluko away from Craven Cottage, however, there’s a chance that Forestieri could come into the Royals’ thinking. A return to the home counties would likely appeal to the former Watford player, though whether the Owls would sell to a promotion rival remains to be seen. If yes, and Reading do sign Aluko, then Fulham may be an option themselves, with manager Slavisa Jokanovic having worked with Forestieri at Watford.
Derby County
Reportedly interested in Forestieri last summer, albeit under a different manager, and armed with the money raised from Tom Ince’s sale to Huddersfield earlier in the window, Derby is a plausible destination for the former Italy Under-21 star – especially with Ince’s replacement yet to be found. The Rams are still said to be pursuing Leicester City’s Tom Lawrence despite having a £7 million offer rejected, but developments at Hillsborough could lead them to Forestieri if they fail to lure their first-choice target. Again, though, selling to Derby is unlikely to sit well with Wednesday, given the two sides’ shared aspirations this season.
Huddersfield? Reading? Derby? Somewhere else? Where do you think Forestieri could go?
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