Nikola Milenkovic has proven to be a fantastic purchase for Nottingham Forest.
The Serbian joined the club from Fiorentina in the summer transfer window for roughly €12 million. He has made 19 Premier League appearances, starting all of them, and has been a vital component in their surge to third place in the table.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has chatted with Gazzetta dello Sport about the 27-year-old, including why he was signed and his influence at the City Ground.
When asked about Milenkovic, Marinakis mentioned the UEFA Conference League final last season, when his other club Olympiakos faced Fiorentina.
He stated, “El Kaabi’s goal in extra time was a freedom, saving us from suffering in the penalty shootout.
“I had already suffered enough at the start of the match, in the moments when Milenkovic had scored the 1-0 goal that was disallowed for offside.”
When questioned if the final influenced Nottingham Forest’s decision to buy the defender, the club owner said that he had been monitored for some time.
“We’ve been following him for a long time, and this was an excellent deal because he’s performing so well. Last season, we conceded too many goals and saved ourselves in the last days, but today…
Marinakis is clearly proud of Milenkovic’s performance this season.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side has conceded only 19 goals in the Premier League, which is the division’s second lowest total.
The club’s goal should be to continue in the same fashion, and Milenkovic’s performance will be critical to that.
