Forest are still ‘working on’ deal for Betis defender Moreno
AND MIDFIELDER MANGALA COULD ALSO JOIN REDS
NOTTINGHAM Forest continue to chase left-back Alex Moreno as they prepare for their return to the Premier League.
It has already been a busy summer at the City Ground, with 11 new faces through the door. But the Reds are not finished in the transfer market just yet.
VFB Stuttgart midfielder Orel Mangala could be the next arrival Trentside. And Real Betis defender Moreno also remains on the club’s radar.
Betis want more than 20m euros (about £17m) for the defender, who has three years left to run on his current contract. Forest are still “working on” a deal to sign him, according to Sky Sports.
The Reds have already strengthened at left-back by bringing in Harry Toffolo and Omar Richards. However, the latter is set to be sidelined for a number of weeks after suffering a hairline leg fracture.
Moreno would give head coach Steve Cooper options, particularly while Richards is ruled out, and he can also operate on the left wing. Early talks were said to have taken place last week.
Forest have so far brought in Taiwo Awoniyi, Dean Henderson, Giulian Biancone, Moussa Niakhate, Omar Richards, Neco Williams, Wayne Hennessey, Lewis O’brien, Jesse Lingard and Toffolo this summer. Brandon Aguilera has also been added to the ranks but has gone out on loan.
A rebuild was unavoidable given the key role five loanees played last season, while the likes of Lewis Grabban, Brice Samba and Tobias Figueiredo have left.
Cooper said last week: “I want to be very clear that we’ve had no alternative than to bring in players because we had loan players and some players have left for different reasons. We’ve had no alternative but to change things around a little bit.”