Fenerbahce’s “indecisiveness” proved costly in their late push to sign Nottingham Forest defender Loic Mbe Soh, it has been claimed.
The Turkish side are said to have been keen on securing a deal for the 21-year-old before their transfer window closed on Thursday. However, a potential move reportedly fell through before the deadline.
According to FotoSpor, an agreement in principle with Mbe Soh had been reached earlier in the week. It is said Fenerbahce’s pursuit then went quiet, and when the club wanted to send a private plane for the centre-back “in the late hours” of Thursday, this time he “did not want to go”. The report suggests “Fenerbahce’s indecisive behaviour destroyed the transfer” as Mbe Soh “was tired of being kept waiting”.
READ MORE: Forest facing Premier League fixture pile-up after postponement
READ MORE: Cooper sent clear Forest message as Brighton rumours swirl
Seagulls shortlist
Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper is said to be on a shortlist of potential candidates to replace Graham Potter at Brighton and Hove Albion.
The Seagulls are on the lookout for a new boss after Potter took over from the sacked Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea. And Cooper is reportedly on their list, along with Kjetil Knutsen, Russell Martin and Nathan Jones.
According to The Athletic, Brighton have been planning for the day when they might lose Potter for the past two years. They are said to have a shortlist of potential successors already drawn up, which includes managers working in the UK and abroad. It is said they “will concentrate their efforts on getting one of these candidates over the line based on factors such as availability, cost and the likelihood of landing them”.
However, it is claimed Cooper “would be expensive to get”. The Welshman has little more than a year to run on the two-year deal he penned when he joined Forest last September.
Transfer statement
Palmeiras have strongly denied trying to hijack Gustavo Scarpa’s move to Nottingham Forest.
The midfielder has signed a pre-contract agreement with Forest and is set to move to the City Ground in December once the Brazilian season comes to an end.
The 28-year-old joined Palmeiras in 2018 and has racked up 199 appearances, scoring 34 goals and providing 45 assists.
His existing contract at Allianz Parque runs out at the end of the year, but off the back of an impressive season, Brazilian website UOL Esporte reported that Palmeiras were looking into the possibility of paying Scarpa’s pre-contractual fine, thought to be just over £4million.
Match postponed
Nottingham Forest’s match against Leeds United on Monday night has been postponed.
The Premier League have announced this weekend’s round of fixtures will not take place, following the death of Her Majesty The Queen. That includes the Reds’ trip to Elland Road, which was scheduled for an 8pm kick-off on Monday night.
The Premier League said in a statement: "At a meeting this morning, Premier League clubs paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To honour her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed, including Monday evening’s game.
"Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive, said: 'We and our clubs would like to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s long and unwavering service to our country. As our longest-serving monarch, she has been an inspiration and leaves behind an incredible legacy following a life of dedication. This is a tremendously sad time for not just the nation but also for the millions of people around the world who admired her, and we join together with all those in mourning her passing.'
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