Nottingham Forest ‘eye’ £21m-rated defender but face transfer stumbling block
Latest Nottingham Forest transfer news as Reds target summer window signings for Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad
Nottingham Forest are said to have reignited their interest in Udinese defender Jaka Bijol as they target summer reinforcements.
The Reds were linked with the Slovenia international 12 months ago on the back of his impressive performances at Euro 2024. They are said to have their eye on him once again as they look to strengthen head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad.
According to Italian newspaper Messaggero Veneto (via Udinese Blog), Udinese are prioritising sales to raise funds. Bijol is among the players who the club could cash-in on, along with fellow defender Oumar Solet and striker Lorenzo Lucca, who Forest have also been credited with an interest in.
Bijol is valued in the region of €25 million (£21m). He is said to have admirers at the City Ground but is also wanted by Aston Villa.
It is claimed Bijol “dreams” of playing in the Premier League, albeit the suggestion is he would prefer to join a club with Champions League football on offer. Neither the Reds or Villa will compete in Europe’s elite club competition next season after missing out on a top-five finish in the Premier League.
Nevertheless, Italian agent Claudio Pasqualin is of the belief a switch to the UK could be a good option for the 26-year-old. He told Messaggero Veneto “there’s more money in the Premier League”, making it no surprise Bijol is being targeted by English clubs.
Asked whether a €25m fee would be reasonable for the player, Pasqualin admitted he had “a few reservations”. He put that down to the fact the centre-back “has taken a few too many breaks” due to injury.
It is set to be a busy summer at the City Ground as Forest look to ensure Nuno has the resources to compete on several fronts. The Reds are in Europe for the first time in three decades, having qualified for the UEFA Conference League, and will require greater strength in depth to cope with the additional games.
Premier League clubs are now able to start overseeing transfer deals. A temporary window opened today (June 1) and will run until June 10 before closing for a short period. It will then reopen on June 16 and remain so until September 1, with the change in timing made due to the FIFA Club World Cup.
