Nottingham Forest will be looking to add to their team before the Premier League season begins.
Right now, the European Championships are taking center stage, but it won’t be long before attention shifts to domestic football.
Forest just avoided relegation last season and will expect for a smoother journey in the top league in 2024/25.
To accomplish this, the Reds will look for new recruits to ensure Nuno Espirito Santo has a strong roster.
Moussa Niakhate joined Lyon last week, which means Forest will want to sign a center defender before the season begins.
A new report suggests that another large proposal could be in the works.
Nottingham Forest will make a massive bid for Jake O’Brien.
This summer, the Lyon defender, who previously played for Crystal Palace’s youth, is in high demand.
Foot 01 claims that Forest will overtake Everton in the hunt to recruit the Republic of Ireland international.
Everton is thought to be planning a bid of around £20 million, while owner John Textor wants to recuperate closer to £29 million.
Forest will then make an attempt to replace Niakhate with a player who may be moved down the Lyon pecking order.
The 23-year-old defender had a strong season in 2023/24, appearing in 32 games across all competitions to help Lyon qualify for Europe.
O’Brien, a right-sided central defender, scored five goals and, shockingly, assisted twice.
Squawka also demonstrates that the defender is excellent in the air, winning more headers than Niakhate last season and clearing more.
Forest and Lyon develop a deep friendship.
Evangelos Marinakis and Textor are engaging in some severe back-scratching.
Forest has recouped almost £50 million for Niakhate and Orel Mangala from Lyon, which represents excellent business.
There is a saying that it is not what you know, but who you know, and Marinakis appears to be collaborating with Textor to exploit the financial fair play restrictions.
Lyon signed Niakhate just in time for his sale to be included in the last round of PSR, and it appears like Forest will reciprocate.
Lots to appreciate about O’Brien’s signing.
Forest appears to have made a clear strategic adjustment in the transfer market this summer.
So far, Elliot Anderson has joined from Newcastle, and young St Pauli utility player Eric da Silva Moreira has also checked in.
It appears that the days of Forest recruiting players near the end of their careers on ridiculous salaries are over.
O’Brien is only 23 years old and would enter the Premier League with a lot of untapped potential and room to grow.
The teenager did not make a first-team appearance for Palace and was loaned out to Swindon before being moved to Lyon.
He has already played twice for the Republic of Ireland and appears to have a promising future in the game.
