The agent of reported Nottingham Forest target Emil Audero may have just confirmed that the Premier League outfit face competition from Inter Milan for the goalkeeper’s £9 million-rated signature.
That the Nerazzuri are looking at shot-stoppers should come as no surprise. After Manchester United finally reached an agreement with Chelsea over Mason Mount, Erik ten Hag is shifting his focus to a man he knows and trusts from his time in the Ajax hotseat, The Guardian reporting that Andre Onana is keen to reunite with his former boss at Old Trafford.
Onana, one of Europe’s best ball-playing goalkeepers, will take some replacing.
Emil Audero, then, would have big boots to fill at the San Siro; Inter joining Nottingham Forest in pursuit of a 26-year-old former Italy U21 international who excelled even as Sampdoria finished bottom of the Serie A table last term.
“In recent years, (Audero) has shown that he has a lot of quality,” agent Tullio Tinti tells Tuttomercatoweb.
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“He is looked at – not only by Inter – but by many teams.
“Can he come and fight for the starting position (at Inter)? We haven’t addressed certain topics, but he can do the first or second (role) without any problems.”
Nottingham Forest remain in Emil Audero race
Audero, should he end up at the City Ground instead, may find himself competing with Dean Henderson for the number one spot. Henderson is expected to re-join Forest on a permanent basis – his departure likely accelerated by Onana’s arrival – but Steve Cooper may want another talented glovesman to take the place of former loan star Keylor Navas (Corriere dello Sport).
Audero, meanwhile, is reportedly available for a bargain £8.5 million (Il Mattino).
The Indonesia-born glovesman actually rejected Nottingham Forest in January, a la Tottenham’s new £17 million signing Guglielmo Vicario.
This was not, however, a man who had no interest in heading to the City Ground. It’s just that Audero could not stomach leaving Sampdoria in the lurch in the midst of a traumatic campaign.
A good captain, as they say, goes down with his ship, and Audero deserves serious credit for doing just that.
“I thought every effort was needed to get out of this situation,” he said. “I had an offer. But I had to return the trust I received here. It was not right to leave like that.”
Rumour rating; 7/10 – Audero is both affordable and attainable. All may depend on whether he is willing to fight for a starting spot.