Roony Bardghji is an exciting target for Nottingham Forest due to his ability, but his ambitious plans for his future will have seriously impressed Evangelos Marinakis.
The Forest owner is eyeing up a revolutionary transfer window, with Marinakis ready to heavily invest in signings to ensure that Forest’s European qualification isn’t a one-off.
Significant funds have been made available with the help of Forest having earned over £150m in prize money this season, with part of that budget hoped to be spent on Bardghji.
Tottenham remain favourites to sign Bardghji, but Marinakis’ ambition means he can never be counted out, especially given how impressed he must be by the Swedish teen’s similar levels of drive.
Roony Bardghji set himself a five-year plan for greatness
Bardghji has been compared to Wayne Rooney and not just because of his first name, but due to the age at which he has already established himself in senior football.
For the 19-year-old, though, the rapid pace of his trajectory will almost be expected, given that he already has a clear plan of reaching the pinnacle of the sport.
Speaking to The Athletic in 2024, Bardghji said: “I wish to become the best player in the world. Of course, playing in the biggest leagues, playing for one of the biggest teams, but being the best player in the world. That’s my biggest goal.
“That’s what I’m working towards every day, reaching my goal in five years. If you’re dreaming, dream big.”
Given that he missed the vast majority of the 2024/25 season with a serious knee injury, to have made 84 appearances already for Copenhagen at 19 suggests that his five-year plan is still very much on track.
However, his development could have been completely different if Europe’s elite sides had their way back in 2021.
Barcelona and Chelsea scouted a 16-year-old Roony Bardghji
Perhaps his stock has fallen slightly due to the injury, but Forest could use this to their advantage to prise away Bardghji before his past suitors return to the table.
Reported by GOAL back in 2021: “Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Ajax have all already sent scouts to watch Roony in action, and others are set to follow suit.”
This came shortly after Bardghji had become the youngest goalscorer in the history of the Danish Superliga, as the world’s scouts began to realise the immense potential of the Swede.
If the Forest owner is able to carve out a deal for Bardghji, it could become regarded as one of the bargains of the transfer window, as one of football’s most sought-after starlets could be lining up at the City Ground next season.
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