Nottingham Forest have been in contact to sign a new left-back, as the speculation surrounding Neco Williams’ future at the City Ground continues.
In fact, Manchester United have now hijacked Forest’s talks regarding a new contract, in an attempt to take the Welshman to Old Trafford.
Since then, it has been revealed Williams has also been attracting interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, but a move to United is appealing, despite coming through the ranks in Liverpool’s academy.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding the former Liverpool man’s future, the Tricky Trees have set their sights on a new left-back, and there has now been a further update on their pursuit of Sevilla’s Joaquin Oso.
Nottingham Forest make approach to sign Oso
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Nottingham Forest have now made contact regarding a deal for Oso, but there could be competition for his signature, with Tottenham, Newcastle United and Fulham also keen.
The Spaniard has a release clause of around £17m included in his Sevilla contract, but there is a feeling he could be available for even less, potentially making him a low-cost addition to Oliver Glasner‘s squad.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Should Forest decide to sanction Williams’ departure, they will need to sign a left-back this summer, so signing Oso could be savvy. That said, it may be difficult to replace the Wales star, given his consistency, missing just one Premier League game last season. |
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Finances |
Forest have splashed the cash in recent years, shelling out £37.5m on Omari Hutchinson and £34m on Dan Ndoye. As such, a deal for the Sevilla star costing less than £17m shouldn’t be too much of a problem. |
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Insight |
Despite being a left-back by trade, the 23-year-old is also capable of playing further forward. Last season, he picked up two goals and three assists in 23 La Liga matches, primarily featuring as a left-winger. |
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Impact |
Given Oso’s versatility, he could be brought in as a direct replacement for Williams or compete for a spot in the starting XI further forward. As Glasner often utilises a three-at-the-back system, featuring as a left-wing-back could also be ideal. |
Why Oso could be perfect for Glasner
Glasner prefers to use a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Tyrick Mitchell being deployed in a left-wing-back role when the Austrian manager was at Crystal Palace.
With that in mind, it could be perfect for the new Forest manager to bring in a left-back capable of pitching in defensively and contributing further forward.
Oso ticks those boxes, considering he has spent the majority of his career playing as a left-back, but has also received praise for his ability in forward areas.
Former Sevilla Atletico coach Jesús Galván described the Forest target as “dynamic, very powerful and with an innate ability to create danger.”
The Sevilla star’s availability on the cheap is an added bonus, although the Tricky Trees should be able to spend big this summer, following Elliot Anderson’s big-money move to Manchester City.
