Nottingham Forest ‘open negotiations’ for former £32m Liverpool target

Nottingham Forest are reportedly in talks to sign PSV’s Ibrahim Sangare, in what is a surprising move for the midfielder.

It’s surprising because the towering defensive midfielder has been linked with a number of top clubs around Europe, including the likes of Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, and he could complete the move before the deadline tomorrow.

Sangare, 25, is a strong defensive midfielder who has been on the periphery of a move to the Premier League for some time; the shock is that Forest, a team who battled relegation last season, are able to seduce a player who already has European football this season.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Forest are pushing in talks with PSV for Sangaré and negotiations are currently ongoing today in London.

The deal is set to be part of a transfer merry-go-round, as Napoli’s Hirving Lozano is being targeted to come in to replace the seemingly outgoing Johan Bakayoko - an incredibly talented young winger who has been linked with a move to both Liverpool and Everton.

For Liverpool, Sangare hasn’t been a player they have pushed for as other targets seem to make more sense, despite the fact that his release clause is set around £32m.

Dutch football legend Frank de Boer also recently name dropped Liverpool as a potential club that Sangare is ready to play for, in a statement that certainly falls flat given the latest reports.

The Reds are currently embroiled in a transfer three-way with Bayern Munich, Fulham and Monaco in their pursuit of Ryan Gravenberch.

Reportedly, the move depends on whether Fulham can replace Bayern’s target in Joao Palhinha with Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana, in what is a dramatic turn of events with just over a day left in the window.

Circling back round to Sangare, the Ivorian has built a strong reputation in Holland but has little European experience where it matters - which is why top sides may have steered away from a move for him.

If he heads to Forest, he could prove a lot of people wrong and leave certain top sides with egg on their faces. Although, he could certainly use Forest as a stepping stone to greater things.

However, one thing is for sure, if Gravenberch is a success then no one will be worried about missing out on what is still a risk for a top club in Sangare.