Nottingham Forest are reportedly plotting an audacious loan move for a top-level international player this summer.
Forest in slow summer transfer window
Since securing promotion to the Premier League back in 2022, Nottingham Forest have had a phenomenally high squad turnover and are often among the busiest sides in the division.
In their first season back in the top flight, they signed 30 players, headlined by the arrival of Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi. They then followed that up by adding a further 17 new faces across the 2023/24 campaign, including the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Anthony Elanga and Murillo.
Nottingham Forest taking "last steps" to sign £10m+ ace "pushing" for move
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By comparison, this season Nuno Espírito Santo's side have been dawdling, with just five new faces being welcomed to the City Ground. They have signed Elliot Anderson in a £35m move from Newcastle United, while Nikola Milenkovic has arrived from Fiorentina to replace Moussa Niakhate, who joined Lyon.
There have also been moves for Brazilian goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, as well as young pair Mark Stamenic and Eric Moreira from Red Star and St Pauli respectively. The club's biggest successes this summer to date have been their ability to keep hold of impressive defender Murillo as well as Gibbs-White, both of whom had been linked with moves away across the 2023-24 campaign.
Undoubtedly the two biggest stars at the City Ground, Forest are looking to build a quality side around them, and are reportedly plotting an audacious loan move to help Nuno do just that.
Nottingham Forest chase Arsenal man
That comes as The Sun report that the Reds are chasing an extraordinary move to sign out-of-favour Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The England international, who was Jordan Pickford's deputy at EURO 2024, fell out of favour at the Emirates Stadium following the arrival of David Raya last summer. He made just six Premier League appearances and just two after being dropped in favour of Raya, both coming against Brentford when the Spaniard was ineligible.
He seemed certain to depart this summer in search of first-team football, but the Gunners have struggled to find anyone willing to meet their reported £30m price tag, with both Newcastle and Chelsea having been linked previously but having since agreed deals to sign other goalkeepers.
Aaron Ramsdale (22/23) vs Forest goalkeepers 23/24
Aaron Ramsdale
Matt Turner
Odysseas Vlachodimos
Mats Selz
Appearances
38
17
5
16
Clean Sheets
14
2
1
1
Save %
70.6%
67.5%
50%
57.4%
Now, The Sun claim that Forest are considering making an offer to take the former Arsenal no.1 on loan for the upcoming campaign, with Espirito Santo's side not willing to meet the asking price for a permanent deal.
They report that Forest are "willing to gamble" and see if the Gunners will let Ramsdale "leave on loan right at the end of the window", and believe that "paying all of Ramsdale’s wages plus a chunky bonus may give them a real chance" of pulling off the coup.
The goalkeeper penned a new deal at Arsenal in 2023, which means that he has just two years left to run on his £120,000-a-week deal at the Emirates Stadium, though the Gunners have an option to extend that deal by a further year.
Despite being second choice, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was quick to praise his backup shot stopper last season, dubbing his attitude "exceptional".
“He’s been exceptional around the place with the situation. Like everybody. We love him more for sure. We have him every day. We know him, we know his character and we are really happy to have him."
Ramsdale is undoubtedly a cut above the current options at Nuno's disposal, but the arrival of another two goalkeepers this summer would only muddy the waters further following the fight for the no.1 spot at the City Ground since their promotion.
