Here’s the latest Nottingham Forest news on Thursday, 28 July, 2022.
Cooper delivers senior players verdict
Boss Steve Cooper admitted some senior Nottingham Forest players “fell a bit short” in Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw at Notts County.
Amid a three-game week before the start of the Premier League campaign, the Reds fielded a match squad largely made up of fringe and younger players at Meadow Lane. Giulian Biancone was the only one of the summer signings involved, with Cooper having an eye on Saturday’s final friendly, against Valencia.
The match did see striker Sam Surridge and midfielder Ryan Yates make their returns from injury. But the Forest head coach gave an honest assessment of some aspects of the visitors’ performance.
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Forest favourites to sign free agent
Nottingham Forest are now considered the favourites to sign Wales international Aaron Ramsey after the midfielder's Juventus contract was 'mutually terminated'.
The 31-year-old was finally confirmed to be a free agent this summer by the Italian giants via social media Wednesday evening, but there remains no mention on their official website . An exit had been inevitable in recent weeks, though, after being left out of the squad that toured the United States during pre-season and not even being given a squad number ahead of the Serie A season.
Forest are a club being suggested as an option for Ramsey to return to England. That would, of course, also be a return to the City Ground after spending just over a month there on loan while still an Arsenal player.
Defender departure confirmed
Nottingham Forest have announced that Nicholas Ioannou has left the club permanently to join Italian second-tier side Como.
The 26-year-old spent the entirety of last season on loan at the Serie B side, making 31 appearances in all. Ioannou had also spent the second half of the previous campaign on loan in the Greek Super League with Aris Thessaloniki.
A 17-cap Cyprus international, the defender has featured twice for the Reds this summer during their pre-season preparations for the Premier League season. The first of those came out in Spain against Coventry City, and what turned out to be his final outing in Garibaldi came against Burton Albion.
Forest ‘open talks’ for midfielder
Nottingham Forest have reportedly ‘opened talks’ with La Liga side Real Betis for midfielder William Carvalho.
The Reds have been one of the most active teams in the summer transfer window so far, Steve Cooper adding a total of 11 new players to his squad ahead of the club’s return to the Premier League . Additions are not stopping there with the head coach keen to add further to his midfield options.
It has been reported that Carvalho has appeared at the top of a four-man list of potential midfield targets this summer. 90 min now report that Forest have approached Real Betis about the player with talks between the two sides opening.
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