Nottingham Forest: Reds linked with £103m “Octopus”
The City Ground side are already assessing their options ahead of January.
- Nottingham Forest could make a bid for Benfica’s defensive midfielder Florentino Luis, who has been linked with a move to The City Ground before.
- Other Premier League clubs, including Fulham, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich, are also interested in signing Luis.
- Luis is praised for his defensive abilities, ranking in the top percentiles for interceptions and tackles, but he also has a positive impact in attack with 13 contributions in his career.
Nottingham Forest could be set to table a bid for an exciting player, but a new report has revealed that they aren’t the only club looking to bring him to the Premier League.
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What’s the latest transfer news at Nottingham Forest?
Over the summer, Steve Cooper was extremely busy in the window, bringing in a total of 14 fresh faces which included the likes of Ibrahim Sangare, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Divock Origi just to name a few, but whilst there were plenty of new recruits entering the building, a big number of players also completed departures.
In terms of outgoings, Brennan Johnson led the big-name permanent exits, whilst the likes of Jonjo Shelvey, Emmanuel Dennis and Lewis O’Brien were all sent out on loan, as per Transfermarkt, and with a bit more space in the squad having been freed up, this will allow the boss to bolster his ranks further in January.
One of the players he could turn his attention to is Benfica’s defensive midfielder Florentino Luis, who despite still having another four years remaining on his contract, could find himself on the move having previously been linked with a switch to The City Ground.
The Reds reportedly joined the race to sign the 24-year-old back in August, and whilst the same outlet claimed that they were preparing an approach, a deal failed to come to fruition before the deadline, though if the following update is to be believed, the hierarchy are now considering taking a second bite of the cherry.
Are Nottingham Forest signing Florentino Luis?
According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest could make an “irrefutable” offer for Luis, alongside Fulham, Barcelona and Bayern Munich who are also named as interested parties.
Benfica’s central talisman, who is sponsored by Adidas, has a €120m (£103m) release clause included in his contract, but his current market value is only €20m (£17m), meaning that a cheaper deal could be available.
The Eagles are already looking for a replacement as they know their star is likely to be on his way out in the new year, and with his list of admirers growing, it “isn’t known” how much longer they will be able to hold onto their prized asset.
Is Florentino Luis a good player?
Previously, Luis has been dubbed a “Portuguese Octopus” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and the way that he protects his backline when sitting in front of them is remarkable, so it comes as no surprise to learn that Cooper and Nottingham Forest have reignited their interest in their former target.
The Team of Future client currently ranks in the 99th percentile for interceptions and the 96th percentile for tackles, via FBRef, displaying his ability to win back possession for his team and get stuck into challenges, but he’s also capable of having a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch.
Since the start of his career, Luis, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role, has posted 13 contributions (ten assists and three goals), so being such a well-rounded player, it would be a massive coup if he was to put pen to paper in the Midlands in January.
