Report: Southampton to sign World Cup semi-finalist Nottingham Forest were willing to pay for

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Southampton face Nottingham Forest tonight and they look set to beat the Reds to the signing of Mislav Orsic. Ed Aarons of the Daily Mail believes the Saints are going to win the race to sign the Croatian international.

The striker is set to cost the south coast outfit £7.5 million. A report yesterday from T Portal claimed that Forest were ready to pay Dinamo Zagreb their asking price for Orsic.

It seems as though Southampton have big plans in place for the transfer window. Going into tonight’s game, they sit bottom of the pile in the Premier League and Nathan Jones needs new recruits.

Orsic was linked with a move to the City Ground in the summer. He’s been with Zagreb since 2019 and Forest wanted the versatile forward adding to their attacking ranks.

His stock has continued to rise this season. Operating largely from the left-hand side he’s scored 13 goals and laid on a further eight in the way of assists in Croatia.

Furthermore, he has a knack for downing Premier League teams. He scored the winner back in September as Zagreb stunned Chelsea in the opening round of Champions League fixtures.

Last season he scored against West Ham in Europe and during the 2020/21 campaign he bagged a famous hat-trick against Tottenham to send the Londoners out of the Europa League.

Southampton set to beat Forest to Orsic

This might not be the end of the world for the Reds. Although Orsic’s goal contribution record is impressive, it’s fair to say that the Croatian league is inferior to the Premier League.

Orsic can clearly play and right now he’s bang in form. Forest have a lot of options who can play on the flank or through the middle, however, and perhaps something a bit different is required.

Furthermore, Orsic is 30-years-old. He doesn’t really feel like a sound investment for the future of Southampton and he will be considered pretty old to be making his first step into Premier League action.

Forest will target a forward or two this summer for certain. Orsic is a steady player but he’s one that perhaps the Reds won’t live to regret signing when they look back in a year or two.