Highlights
- Nottingham Forest are close to signing Sangare but could make another acquisition before the window closes.
- They have already seen a bid turned down for a player in LaLiga.
- The target has been described as a ‘defensive monster’.
An update has emerged on Nottingham Forest and their attempts to bolster their midfield options before the summer transfer window slams shut tonight.
What’s the latest Nottingham Forest transfer news?
According to Spanish outlet Sevilla ABC, the Tricky Trees are ‘pressing’ ahead with a late swoop to sign Real Betis central midfielder Guido Rodriguez.
The report claims that the club have already had one offer of €7.5m (£6m) turned down for the Argentina international and are now prepared to raise their offer to secure his services.
It states that these next few hours are important after talks between Betis and the experienced ace, as it now remains to be seen whether or not he will move on before the deadline passes.
How good is Guido Rodriguez?
The 29-year-old has proven himself to be an excellent combative midfielder in LaLiga over the last few years and could form an outstanding partnership with Ibrahima Sangare in the middle of the park.
Forest have reportedly agreed a £30m deal to sign the Ivory Coast international from Dutch giants PSV and he could be a dominant force alongside Rodriguez for Steve Cooper‘s side.
In the Eredivisie last season, the 25-year-old giant caught the eye with an average Sofascore rating of 7.24 across 29 appearances as he scored five goals and made 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game for his side.
Rodriguez, meanwhile, averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.07 across 34 LaLiga outings for Betis as he showcased his ability to break up play to win possession back for his side on a regular basis.
The £28k-per-week ace made a phenomenal 4.6 tackles and interceptions per match for his team and displayed his physical strength with a duel success rate of 60%, which shows that he came out on top in the majority of his physical contests.
He also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.05 over 32 Spanish top-flight outings during the 2021/22 campaign and made an impressive four tackles and interceptions per appearance. This shows that the Argentine brute has been able to deliver a high standard of defensive performances over a prolonged period of time.
Comparatively, no Forest central midfielder managed more than Remo Freuler’s 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premier League last season.
No player in any position averaged a Sofascore rating higher than 6.99 for Cooper’s side as they avoided relegation back to the Championship, which illustrates how impressive the two potential deadline day recruit’s performances for their respective clubs were last term.
Indeed, Rodriguez, who was once described as a “defensive monster” by analyst Marcus Bring, has the potential to be an outstanding addition to the squad due to his knack for winning the ball back more frequently than any of the manager’s current options have the capability of doing.
Therefore, the current Betis star could form a monstrous partnership with Sangare as they are both able to be destroyers in midfield with their physical strength and their quality out of possession to be rocks in front of the defence.
