Nottingham Forest have reportedly launched a £4 million bid to sign a teenage sensation from Brazil this summer.
Forest pursues Brazilian goalkeeper.
Following their Premier League survival on the final day of the season, Nuno Espirito Santo’s team has shifted their attention to the summer transfer window. They have already lost numerous players due to financial fair play laws.
Several City Ground players, including Harry Arter, Wayne Hennessey, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Loïc Mbe Soh, Scott McKenna, and Felipe, have expired their contracts and will become free agents.
Meanwhile, Gonzalo Montiel, Divock Origi, Gio Reyna, Rodrigo Ribeiro, and Nuno Tavares will all leave the club at the conclusion of their loan periods, with none having done enough to warrant a permanent move to Nottingham.
| Wage savings at the City Ground | |
| Player | Weekly wage |
| Harry Arter | £20,000 |
| Cheikhou Kouyaté, | £45,000 |
| Wayne Hennessey | £15,000 |
| Scott McKenna | £20,000 |
| Felipe | £80,000 |
| Gonzalo Montiel | £25,000 |
| Divock Origi | £120,000 |
| Gio Reyna | £40,000 |
| Nuno Tavares | £30,000 |
| Rodrigo Ribeiro | £7500 |
| Total savings via Capology: £405,000 per week | |
That will free up significant wages in the Midlands, and while there is still pressure to sell before the June 30th deadline, the club is hoping to avoid selling any of their star players, with Joe Worrall, Emmanuel Dennis, and Lewis O’Brien all expected to leave, with the latter attracting interest from Ipswich Town.
As a result, they are certain that compliance will be met, and they have now shifted their focus to incomings. Carlos Miguel, a goalkeeper, appears to be on his way to joining the club after the team activated his £3.4 million release clause, with a medical scheduled for this week. However, Forest has made another bid for a Palmeiras player.
Teenager in the Reds’ sights
According to sources from Brazil, Forest has made a bid for young striker Riquelme Fillipi, who now plays for Palmeiras’ development team. The 17-year-old has yet to play senior football and has only scored four goals in 14 games for the U20s this season, but that has not deterred the club from expressing an interest.
According to UOL (via Sport Witness), they have presented a ‘formal proposition’ for the teenager worth 5 million euros (just over £4 million). This consists of half upfront and the other half in bonuses, however there is no mention of what those bonuses would be, and Palmeiras has yet to respond to the offer.
According to reports, European giants Paris Saint Germain and Porto are also intrigued, though none has made a move for the youngster as of yet. Should any side be successful in their pursuit of Fillipi’s signature, they will have to wait until September for him to come, as the kid will not be 18 until then.
