Nottingham Forest are now pushing hard to sign a midfielder as a replacement for Elliot Anderson.
James Perch believes his former club will have their work cut out, saying: “To try and replace Elliot Anderson and what he does is going to be very hard.
“I say it’s going to probably take two players to cover what he does because he does so much for Forest in that midfield. But the obvious one I think would be Curtis Jones. I think he’s proven. He’s an England international. So you’re not taking a gamble on him and hoping he hits the ground running.”
Indeed, signing Jones could make a lot of sense, and the Tricky Trees are lining up a hijack of Inter Milan, but the Liverpool midfielder isn’t the only option on the shortlist.
Forest are working hard to ensure they win the race for Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall, while they are also interested in signing Celtic star Arne Engels, who is yet to prove himself in the Premier League.
Nottingham Forest stepping up Arne Engels pursuit
According to a report from Voetbal Krant (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest have now made a formal offer for Engels, as they look to beat the likes of Tottenham, Fulham, Atlético Madrid, AS Roma and Villarreal to his signature.
Oliver Glasner‘s former club, Crystal Palace, have also been pushing to sign the Celtic midfielder, but they have seemingly been unwilling to pay the £25m asking price thus far, potentially opening the door for a move to the City Ground.
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Football FanCast’s Verdict |
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Credibility |
Forest’s interest in the 22-year-old has been known for a while, but they are now ramping up their pursuit, having submitted a formal offer. The need to sign a new midfielder stems from Anderson’s departure to Man City. |
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Finances |
A fee of £25m wouldn’t break the bank, as the Tricky Trees raised £116m from selling the England international. In fact, signing Engels for a fee in that ballpark would mean having plenty of money to strengthen other areas of the squad. |
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Insight |
The 22-year-old isn’t currently playing in one of Europe’s top leagues, but he has proven himself in the Bundesliga previously, picking up three goals and five assists in 32 matches for FC Augsburg during the 2023-24 campaign. |
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Impact |
Should Forest manage to get a deal over the line, they could abandon plans to sign Bergvall, who would be a very expensive addition to Glasner’s squad at £50m. |
Why Engels could be a solid Anderson replacement
Callum McGregor is a big fan of his Celtic teammate, saying: “Maybe people unfairly judge him based on the price tag, but I think he’s a tremendous player who plays with a big heart and big energy and will always get better because he has the right attitude.
Last season, the Belgian maestro created 42 chances in the Scottish Premiership, the third-highest number in the Celtic squad, and he’s grabbed a total of 17 goals and 21 assists in 98 matches for the Glasgow giants.
That suggests the former Augsburg man could be a solid replacement for Anderson from an attacking point of view, with the Englishman amassing four goals and four assists in last season’s Premier League.
At 22-years-old, Engels is slightly younger than Anderson, which indicates he could be a long-term replacement for the City midfielder, and he has proven he is ready to test himself in the Premier League.
