Chelsea now want to sign player after Nottingham Forest saw £17m bid rejected

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After Nottingham Forest saw a £17m bid rejected for one of Spain’s finest, Chelsea are now involved.

The Garibaldi searched for a new goalkeeper in January after Matt Turner struggled to make the No.1 shirt his own, eventually signing Matz Sels in a £5.1m deal from Strasbourg.

However, there was a glovesman Nottingham Forest tried to sign before the Belgian – one who is seemingly still on the radar of Ross Wilson – although he is now being targeted by England’s elite…

Chelsea now involved in Alvaro Valles pursuit after Nottingham Forest failed with January bid

A story from the Mirror now claims that Chelsea want to sign Las Palmas No.13 Alvaro Valles this summer – who Nottingham Forest saw a £17m bid rejected for in January.

It is said that Enzo Maresca desperately wants a ball-playing goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge next season, and Chelsea’s data-driven recruitment has identified the Spaniard as a leading option.

If a move comes to fruition for the Blues and Valles becomes a star in the Premier League, it would be very painful for Nottingham Forest – after identifying him as a talent months ago, before Chelsea sat up and took notice.

Sels did a decent job in between the sticks last season as the Reds survived, although the Belgium international managed to keep just a single clean sheet in 16 Premier League appearances.

Therefore, you could argue that an upgrade can be found this summer, and after digging his heels in back in January, Las Palmas President Miguel Angel Ramirez is now willing to sell Valles.

That would usually give Nottingham Forest encouragement that a deal could be done, although Chelsea’s interest has now thrown a spanner in the works.

Ross Wilson could still strike deal

In our view, Nottingham Forest still have a chance to sign Valles this summer.

Chelsea’s goalkeeping situation is far from straightforward, as Maresca already has Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic to choose from – the Mirror believe one must be sold before a new glovesman can arrive.

Kepa Arrizabalaga is also now set to return from his loan spell at Real Madrid.

READ MORE: Journalist thinks Nottingham Forest will let two Steve Cooper signings leave this summer

Therefore, if Nottingham Forest do still hope to sign Valles and have him compete against Sels, it would make sense for Wilson to move quickly before Chelsea manage to offload one of Sanchez or Petrovic.