Nottingham Forest
Premier League • England
Nottingham Forest move for three-time Champions League winner after devastating injury blow sparks surreal transfer battle
Nottingham Forest are plotting to sign a PSG veteran who has three Champions League titles on his CV, though must beat Bournemouth and Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr if they’re to offset a huge injury blow, per a report.
After a troubling start to the campaign, Nottingham Forest showed faith in manager Steve Cooper despite the pressure on his position mounting.
That decision has been more than justified over recent months, with Forest winning four, drawing four and losing just three of their last 11 league matches.
That stretch of form has propelled Forest out of the relegation zone and up to 13th. Cooper has also guided the club to the semi-finals of the EFL Cup where they’ll face Man Utd.
Red Devils loanee Dean Henderson would have been cup-tied for the two legs, though an unfortunate injury has ensured he’ll now miss a sizeable chunk of their league fixtures too.
Henderson picked up a thigh injury during their 2-0 victory over Leicester last weekend. The 25-year-old is expected to miss anywhere between four-six weeks, with the Athletic claiming he’ll not return until late-February.
Henderson injury sparks spectacular PSG raid
Cooper can call upon the ultra-experienced Wayne Hennessey, though per the Athletic, a spectacular move for PSG’s Keylor Navas is being lined up.
The Costa Rica legend, now 36, is a three-time Champions League winner (2016. 2017 & 2018) dating back to his Real Madrid days.
He was No 1 at the Bernabeu for many a year before ultimately being ousted once Thibaut Courtois was signed.
Navas moved to Paris in 2019, though has since been displaced by Italy ace Gianlugi Donnarumma. Now in the autumn of his career, Navas is stated to be seeking first-team football to ensure his final years aren’t played out warming the bench.
As such, Navas is deemed ‘open’ to leaving PSG this month and he’s been installed on Forest’s list of goalkeeper targets.
Fellow Premier League side Bournemouth are also reportedly in the mix if Navas is allowed to leave. Cristiano Ronaldo’s new club, Al-Nassr, have also been linked.
The idea of two lower-ranking Premier League clubs and a Saudi Arabian side chasing a PSG star would’ve been unthinkable not too long ago. However, the links are perhaps testament to the continued rise and spending power of the Premier League, as well as the financial lure of the Middle East.
Navas’ current contract is due to expire in the summer of 2024. As such, if PSG intend to cash in at some stage, the current window would be a fine time to do so.