Nottingham Forest have seen an attempt to sign Newcastle United defender Matt Targett rejected by the Magpies. The Reds were in the race along with Fulham to sign the player who has featured for just three minutes during 2023/24.
According to the Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope, Newcastle have rejected the advances of Forest and Fulham. Lewis Hall and Dan Burn are the two players at the club who currently operate at left-back and perhaps it’s a surprise that the duo have been knocked back.
Forest are trying desperately to land a left-back before the transfer window closes. Renan Lodi has signed for Marseille; whilst Omar Richards has been allowed to join Olympiacos on loan until the end of the season.
Forest have added Ola Aina to their ranks this summer. He’s played left-back in two of the three games that the team has played, with Neco Williams playing on that side when Aina was injured for the Sheffield United game.
They do want to get a natural in place at left-back though. Forest will want to make sure that they’re well-stocked in that area and quite frankly, time is running out for the Reds to get things finalised before Friday’s deadline.
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Targett has been at Newcastle since January 2022 when he signed initially on loan. The 27-year-old has made 36 appearances for the Magpies, including 19 outings last season as the team qualified for the Champions League.
Eddie Howe might not have considered Targett as an integral part of his team last season but he did have some praise for him. He called him ‘outstanding’ for his efforts and clearly, the management at Newcastle value his input.
Forest have bid rejected by Newcastle for Targett
This would have been a pretty decent signing made by the Reds. Targett is a safe pair of hands in the Premier League and he’s a steady and reliable performer at the Premier League level.
Forest will want to get themselves sorted for Friday. A new left-back is definitely needed and they can’t go until the January transfer window without another option.
It’s perhaps surprising that the £79,000-a-week Targett has been denied a move. Hall has signed from Chelsea already this month and with Burn also capable of playing there, it’s hard to see where Targett fits in.