Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has now personally instructed the club not to sell one of Steve Cooper’s recruits.
Forest is only a few days away from doing business in this summer’s transfer window, when outgoings are expected to be crucial.
Nuno Espirito Santo will have to say goodbye to several of his players in the coming weeks, with Forest among the clubs that must sell this month to reach the PSR deadline on June 30.
A number of players could be identified this summer to generate a significant profit for the club following some great individual performances.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Murillo are two of those players, and Forest is thought to value them at more over £50 million each.
But it appears Nuno is now attempting to prevent one specific player from being sold in the coming months at the City Ground.
Nuno wants Forest to keep signing Steve Cooper this summer.
Evangelos Marinakis may have to make some harsh decisions this month, as Forest needs to free up some funds.
The Reds are well aware of the implications of falling foul of PSR, having received a four-point deduction previous season.
There may be some room for relocation, with players such as Matt Turner attracting interest from the MLS ahead of the summer.
Nuno is also reluctant to sell some of his top players, despite the fact that Forest may benefit handsomely from some of them.
According to The Athletic, Nuno has personally told the club that Moussa Niakhate should not be sold this summer.
Forest signed Niakhate for just £8.5 million in 2022 during Steve Cooper’s tenure at the City Ground, with a substantial profit to be made in the following months if they sell.
However, it is believed that the club is now resisting the temptation to cash in on the Senegalese defender after Nuno’s recommendation.
What Steve Cooper has stated about Moussa Niakhate
The former Forest boss signed the centre-back from Bundesliga club Mainz in 2022.
He has made 35 Premier League appearances in his two seasons, 21 of which have come this season.
Only 11 have come under Nuno’s supervision, although he has utilized them extensively in the last games of the 2023/24 season.
Cooper praised the centre-back after re-signing him in 2022. “In addition to being a strong, fast and accomplished centre-back, he’s captained Mainz to their best league finish in the last five years, and his leadership experience is invaluable for our return to the Premier League,” he told the press.
“Moussa has attracted the interest of multiple clubs, but he has chosen Nottingham Forest and we are delighted to welcome him into the squad.”
Although NIakhate was not Nuno’s first option, the chance of cashing in on Murillo may have influenced his thinking this summer.
