Moussa Niakhate wants to complete a move to Nottingham Forest this summer, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.
The Reds were said to have opened talks with Mainz regarding the 26-year-old late last week.
Niakhate holds a desire to sign for a Premier League outfit and will be out of contract next summer.
It’s likely that the player will cost around £10 million, with Everton and West Ham showing recent interest too.
Niakhate has been at Mainz since transferring from Metz in 2018 and he’s become a cult hero.
The French defender typically plays as a central defender and can also do a job in the left-sided wing-back position.
Niakhate has been the captain for the last 18 months at Mainz and he will be a big loss to their team.
Forest now look to be edging closer to a deal with the player extremely willing to sign for the club this summer.
Furthermore, it’s claimed that he will be handed a four-year contract, keeping him at the City Ground until 2026.
A centre-back was always likely to be on the radar for Steve Cooper during the transfer window.
Joe Worrall, Steve Cook and Scott McKenna will all likely get a chance to prove their worth next season.
In reserve, there is very little though. Tobias Figueiredo has been released, whilst Jonathan Panzo and Loic Mbe Soh are perhaps seen as ones for the future.
Niakhate is very much one for the here and now and he could prove a useful signing for Forest.
Niakhate keen to sign for Forest and he looks like an exciting addition
This is a deal that looks very exciting indeed.
Mainz enjoyed a decent season in the Bundesliga last season and clearly, Niakhate was an important player for them.
Now, he looks set for a move to Forest and this is a pretty ambitious singing by the Reds.
Ensuring the squad is well-stock in defence looks like a good idea by Cooper.
Forest are likely to be up against it in some games next season and building from the back makes a lot of sense.
Niakhate is tough-tackling, hard-working and perhaps most importantly, he’s capable of playing out from the back.
It’s promising that he wants to sign for Forest following links to West Ham and Everton.
As a result, the Reds will hope to complete this deal quickly as they prepare for pre-season training.