Report: Benfica’s Alfa Semedo set to sign on season-long loan for Nottingham Forest

Add as preferred source on Google

Sabri Lamouchi has only been in the Nottingham Forest managerial hot-seat for just over a week, but is already busy targeting new additions.

He made his first signing last week as Tiago Silva joined on a two-year deal from Feirense. The 26-year-old will certainly add quality to the midfield.

According to Portuguese outlet Jornal Record, Benfica midfielder Alfa Semedo could be next to arrive. The report suggests the 21-year-old will join the Reds on a season-long loan, with no option to make the move permanent next summer.

The Reds could complete the signing of Semedo soon, as he is expected to arrive in England in the next few days.

There’s no doubt that it would be a real coup for the Reds if they are able to get the deal over the line. Semedo’s representative Sebastião Adilé has revealed to O Jogo the length that the Reds went to in order to strike a deal.

The midfielder had previously been linked with Premier League side Burnley, but the Reds now seem to have won the race for his signature.

Solid

There is certainly room at the City Ground for another defensive-minded midfielder to be added. Jack Colback impressed over two separate loan spells, but now looks set for another opportunity at Newcastle United. This means that there is a gap in the squad which needs filling.

There has also been speculation linking Claudio Yacob with Olympiacos. It also seems unlikely that Liam Bridcutt and Ben Watson will be involved next season. They may well be moved on.

Although Semedo is defensively-minded, he does have the ability to carry the ball forward. He’d be perfect sat in front of the back four in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which Lamouchi tends to operate with. He might even end up being a better option than Colback was.

The Bissau-Guinean has experience of playing in the UEFA Champions League for Benfica. He made his Champions League debut for Águias last year, scoring the winning goal in an away win against AEK Athens. However, he was loaned to RCD Espanyol in the second half of the season as he failed to hold down a first team place.

In this case, Semedo is still just 21-years-old, so may take longer to settle at the City Ground. That being said, he is clearly highly-rated by his parent club, shown by the fact no permanent option was included in the deal.

And if the Reds are able to snap up the midfielder, it could prove to be a real coup. He certainly has all the attributes to be a top player at this level.