Nottingham Forest have made one last attempt to try and force through a deal to try and push through a deal for a top summer target.
With the deadline looming large on Friday night, Forest ramped up their efforts to get the player the club desperately craves at the top end of the pitch.
Forest missed out on Eddie Nketiah and had hoped to wrap up that deal late last week before a hitch was outlined in the negotiations.
Now, Forest have tried to get their main priority over the line and a top transfer guru has delivered the outcome of the latest talks.
Nottingham Forest get final answer from Santiago Gimenez
It was claimed earlier today by 1908 that Forest had flown to Rotterdam for talks over a deal for Santiago Gimenez as the club aimed to twist his arm.
The player doesn’t operate with an agent and the talks will be conducted on behalf of Evangelos Marinakis – likely by Ross Wilson – with the striker and his dad.
It’s bad news, however, with Fabrizio Romano now confirming that the deal looks to be dead.
He posted on X: “Santiago Gimenez has informed Nottingham Forest about his decision to definitely reject their proposal.
“Deal now off, again.”
Gimenez bagged 26 goals in the Eredivisie last season and he will have to be convinced to walk away from Champions League football in order to sign for Forest.
Forest have been desperate to wrap up a deal for Gimenez, however, and are clearly leaving no stone unturned in their attempts to bring the striker in.
All roads now lead to Bundesliga striker for Forest
This feels painfully predictable and the only surprise is that Gimenez agreed to the talks in person and couldn’t inform the Reds of this wish before they travelled.
Forest look to have quickly moved on. Omar Marmoush of Eintracht Frankfurt is in the sights of the club and a £20 million bid is being weighed up.
The player is an Egyptian international and often plays for the national team alongside Mohamed Salah.
He could now be in the sights of Forest as they quickly turn their attentions elsewhere ahead of the transfer deadline on Friday night.
Forest didn’t have a deal to lose in pushing for Gimenez. However, it’s proved a bridge too far and it will be fascinating to see where the player ends up when the time does come for him to leave.
Receive a digest of our best Nottingham Forest content each week direct to your mailbox
