Nottingham Forest are going to do battle with Steve Cooper for a player and the man formerly of City Ground fame has shown his hand first.
The 44-year-old spent two-and-a-half-years on Trentside taking the club from the bottom of the Championship to the Premier League.
Cooper restored Premier League football to Forest for the first time in 23 years and his stock remains incredibly high in the city.
Now, he’s the man tasked with reviving the fortunes of Leicester and it would appear that Forest are going to be in battle with him over one player.
The Foxes, however, have now made their first move ahead of Forest.
Leicester make first bid for Alexis Saelemaekers
This news comes according to Football Italia who claim that Leicester have now made a £10 million bid for the winger.
It comes amid a host of interest from the Premier League, with Forest linked with Saelemaekers yesterday.
The AC Milan player is available for transfer this summer following his impressive campaign on loan with Bologna during 2023/24.
He signed for the San Siro giants from Anderlecht in 2020 and they’re now looking to recoup the £10.9 million they paid for him back.
Forest are in the market for a new winger this summer and that appears to have led the club to Saelemaekers.
The Belgian won’t be joining Bologna on a permanent deal and now he looks set to have a host of clubs chasing his signature before the season starts.
One thing should deter Forest away from Saelemaekers
This may sound picky but if Forest are going to sign a new winger, he really needs to be left-footed!
Forest have Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi who are options on the right foot but they don’t actually have a left-footed winger.
Saelemaekers wouldn’t alter that and hopefully, the club quickly move on from this one.
Letting Leicester have a free run at the Belgian wouldn’t be ideal but given that he managed seven goal contributions last season, he doesn’t represent an upgrade on Elanga or Hudson-Odoi.
In our view, Forest are better off out of this one.
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