Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of Ola Aina on a free transfer. After checking in at the City Ground, he explained what Steve Cooper told him prior to joining the club.
The Reds have finally completed the signing of a player this summer. It’s been a long time coming for the Reds and they will hope that this deal can spark an influx of incoming activity.
Aina has plenty of experience. He made over 100 appearances for Torino and he’s also turned out for Chelsea and Fulham in the Premier League; with his most recent spell with the Cottagers seeing him win a Goal of the Month award.
One of the beauties of signing Aina is the player’s versatility. He’s naturally a right-sided full-back but with Serge Aurier and Neco Williams at the club, he might be utilised elsewhere.
Aina will now begin training with his teammates. After signing for the club, he’s suggested that Cooper has been on the charm offensive ahead of his move back to England.
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He told the club’s official website: “I’m very excited to be here and I can’t wait to get started. I feel like I want to be back on English soil again and Forest is a club which has an exciting project and exciting team.
“The manager as well, what he wants from the team is something which I want to buy into. He’s told me it’s a family club, he’s told me we have a great bunch of players and he’s told me I’ll enjoy it here.”
Aina explains what Steve Cooper told him before signing for Forest
The utility man looks like an attractive signing made by the Reds. At 26, he’s got bags of years ahead of him and on a free transfer, he could prove to be a very useful addition.
Aina will have a part to play in the Forest team during 2023/24. The Reds have lost Renan Lodi and as a result, perhaps he will play as a left-back more often than not.
The man who left Torino at the end of last season now has a point to prove. He will want to establish himself as a Premier League player and he has the chance to do that at Forest.