The three big transfers Nottingham Forest could pull off before deadline - including £26m Atletico Madrid star
Evangelos Marinakis could bring a World Cup winner to the City Ground before the summer transfer window ends
It’s been a strange summer for Nottingham Forest, hasn’t it? Controversially assisting in their surprise promotion to the Europa League, their star player leaving the City Ground then extending his contract there and the manager who brought them so much success now appearing to be heading to the exit door, it’s not exactly what you’d call orthodox.
What is certain is that Nottingham Forest have little more than 24 hours to finish reinforcing their squad ahead a first European campaign in 30 years though it remains to be seen whether Nuno Espirito Santo will be the one leading them into continental competition - there’s a reason this is the only article in this series that’s had the club’s owner in the featured image.
The late-window arrivals of Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee and Arnaud Kalimuendo have redeemed a transfer window that seemed to be passing like a ship in the night with three weeks to go, while Dan Ndoye has hit the ground running and picked up exactly where Anthony Elanga left off while allowing Forest to turn a profit of over £20 million at the position.
That means now it’s just further cover at the back that’s required, and here are the players Forest could sign to provide it…
Nahuel Molina - Atletico Madrid
The only World Cup winner to share part of his name with gruel-like meal replacement brand, probably (you’ll never sing that), Nahuel is top of Nottingham Forest’s list for providing competition for Ola Aina according to The Athletic.
Molina started all of Argentina’s victorious 2022 campaign in Qatar except the group game against Mexico and while he’s more comfortable with the ball at his feet than Aina, he still prioritises defence over attack.
He ranks in the bottom half of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for touches in the opposition penalty area per Opta via FBRef.com despite playing for Atletico Madrid, and sits in the top 10% for dribblers tacked.
Molina would be a useful option for the Tricky Trees to tailor their starting XI towards the opposition more than last season beyond just helping with the extra workload of European football and is reportedly priced at €30m (£26m). RB Leipzig’s Lutsharel Geertruida is apparently Edu’s second choice.
Victor Kristiansen - Leicester City
Likewise, Victor Kristiansen offers a more defensive alternative to the flying Neco Williams on the left flank.
Only eight players who played more than six full Premier League games last season averaged more tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes than the Dane, while he showed on loan at the more front-footed Bologna that he can partake in build-up play, boasting strong short and medium pass completion rates of 93% and 85% respectively.
He was in the top 10% of Serie A full-backs for passes into the penalty area and the top 15% for progressive passes, a side of his game which Premier League fans would surely see more of at the City Ground.
Kristiansen picked up a training injury at Leicester this season which has stunted this deal’s progress, but it’s still expected to get over the line before the transfer window closes.
Club Brugge’s Joaquin Seys is also a target but his club are more determined to hold onto their player, who picked up Champions League experience and a call-up to the Belgian national team last season.
David Soria - Getafe
There’s not too much to analyse here - he’s a backup goalkeeper. David Soria made nine clean sheets last La Liga season, the eighth best in the division, but aged 32 he won’t be expecting to get near the 3,420 minutes he clocked once he takes over as Matz Sels’ backup.
The reigning Premier League Golden Glove joint winner, Sels will remain Forest’s undisputed number one but the Soria is an able deputy if Edu can get the deal across the line.
Despite finishing 13th in La Liga with a goal difference of -5, Getafe had the fourth best defence in La Liga last season tied with champions Barcelona and 12 goals better than Villarreal who qualified for the Champions League.
And while great defence isn’t all about the goalkeeper, the underlying data suggest Soria was more than pulling his weight as he recorded a post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed (effectively the value of his shot-stopping to the team) of +3, equivalent to what Sels and Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson produced in the Premier League last season. Soria should cost Forest no more than €10m (£8.7m).